Whisper of the Wisps
by ghilliedhu
Summary: Continuation of the original story with a closer tie to the history and mythology of that time.
1. Chapter 1

Dear reader, I hope you enjoy my first bit of righting, as It is my first go at it. The characters speak a Scottish dialect so loosely read over the misspelled words and it will sound a bit more 'Scottish' in your head. I am pulling inspiration from the book 'Wee Free Men' by Terry Pratchett. ( I highly recommend that book ) I am a history buff, and a mythology fanatic so I'm going to try to bring light to a few of the beliefs of the Celtic people ( as this story takes place in a time before Christianity).

The sea foam jumped in the air at the bow of the boat .  
It was scattered by the wind like the sea was torn by the bow of the wooden ship.  
A woman stood at attention.  
More steadfast then the wooden bear head that bit at the cresting waves,she looked on ahead.  
Her shoulders square under a dark green cloak , the hood over her head.  
A great red mane framed a pail face and wolf like eyes.  
The chilling sea spray beaded on her face.  
Her gaze forward searching.  
Her emerald blue eyes hard on the fog as the wind swirled it around the boat.  
Monstrous figures moved behind the vale of mists, like fish move under the water.

She was in every way the strong warrior her clan was known to produce.  
Her father was the Bear King and it would be a grave mistake to believe she, even as the 'Cub' she was,would not be just as fierce.  
The woman knew ,there, in the fog, lurking like eels in the loc's were laughing villain's.  
Murderous armies , destroyers of families , villages. they slipped through the water with ease and silence like the great worms they were  
This thought made her curl her top lip slightly like a wild animal.  
she clenched her teeth and gripped the shield she held upright beside her.  
The shield bore the same mark as the rest of the shields on the ship ; a great black bear.

Then listening to the groaning of the wood on the water she dropped her shoulders and gave out a sigh,  
Unheard even to her own ears , as the winds whipped up a howl.  
Someone was watching her and the woman turned from a warrior ready for battle to a calm commander once again.  
Realizing she was tense in anger she forced her muscles to relax.

One of her brothers , who had his own red mane stepped out of the thick fog behind her.  
He was watching her for some time and she was aware of it.  
Arms crossed he leaned his hip on the side of the ship.  
A dimple marked a side of his face as he gave her a half smile she could feel on her skin , though her eyes stayed forward.  
They could scarcely see the masts in the suffocating fog, and it seemed like they were the only ones on this ship,  
But the truth was the sailors were catching some sleep in unrecognizable lumps under thick furs Scattering here and there.  
So the silence was betrayed by many listening ears.  
The red haired woman leaned her head to one side and looked to her brothers direction slightly as if saying  
' I know your there, what is it.'

All three of her triplet brothers had glinting eyes that gave away their intelligence, and without a doubt Harris knew what she was thinking.

" Goin' to defeat them all by ye'self , ?"

Harris watched his sister unmoved to his words .  
He pushed off the wooden ship and arms still crossed he stepped beside her, hands grabbing the rail of the boat and looking up at the calm pillar of a woman.  
Like a crow would with one eye he softly cawed up at her.

" Be care'ful what ye' wish fur "- that got a reaction

Harris knew just what to say to push her to a sharp word in retaliation.  
Their mother would say that all the time.  
She caved , she turned and looked into his eyes breaking her concentration with the sea.  
It was enough to chill Harris to the bone, yet he smiled up at her.

Harris lacing his fingers like a man who played a good chess game, waited.

And he was rewarded , her voice was not that of a warrior ,for it was not harsh , it was always lyrical or full of emotion.  
Today it played to him like a lullaby.

" Aye H'ardly wish for anything anymore brother, you know that."

She looked back at the waves distantly but not defeated.

"How can anyone be thinking about wishin' these days?"

Harris heard her and bobbed his head in non-confident agreement.

"Aye, I guess your right Princess "

He knew she hated that tittle , and his eyes spied another twin boat gliding beside them in the fog. Half of the best and bravest of Dunbroch were heading north , passing the lakes to the lands of Clan Dingwall, where there would be a clan meeting. From there they would go north still to clan MacGuffin.

" Tho' i don't h'av any doubt that a certain black haired laddie will be 'a wishin to see you , sooner then latter."

He could not contain his laughter and giggled at his own joke . The Princess gave him an un-amused look.

Many years ago it seemed, the Princess then 16 years of age, hosted three clans in order for a champion to bid for her hand. Unfortunately for the suitors she was her own champion and not only secured her freedom from marriage but her title of warrior. No doubt the bards would have plenty to sing about his sister, and a pang of jealousy sounded in his chest, but was silenced by his love for her. That was 8 years ago, Harris was only 7 then. But he remembered. He was the sharpest one out of the lot of triplets.

Thinking about that day of the tournament he looked upon the waves dreamily. The siblings stood in silence watching over the front of the ship. The red haired warrior beside him was 24 years of age now and she turned away any and every relationship since that day. Harris believed she would never tie a Knot with a man. Not because she was apposed to love.

'No', he thought , ' there just isnegh (is not) and man that can hold on to her.' He was very right as Harris always was. Even at 15 he was wise beyond his years.

Soon they would be in the Northlands , soon there would be a battle. But not today , today his sister stood at the helm of there ship as if it would carry them faster on their way.

'Soon' he smiled , looking at her. They would be shoulder to shoulder ; Harris, Hubert, Hamish and his sister ,but what would protect them then? The threat of the northern invaders was on all of their minds.

He sighed

"What do y'e think mum is doing? Your going to put her in an early grave making her worry the way you did , comming along on the ships. "

"Harris ," Merida turned to her brother

" Since you were small enough to swim in a soup pot I'av been lookin after y'e and the two devils you call your brothers. If you think i would let my brothers and Da' (dad) go..."

"She took his shoulder in her hand ,she was serious . Merida did not have to say any more , once his sister made up her mind you would seldom change it.

"We all know I ha've every right to be here, Mum can take care of Dunbroch I would only be 'a pacein a hole in the floor if i stayed , besides you wee devils are the ones who will put her in that grave, i h'av no doupt, come-on lets go find a meatpie for your gob. "

She cracked a half smile and pushed her brother in front of her though he outgrew her by almost a foot . The years made Merida's brothers grow tall as pines, though still, they all were shadowed by the Bear King.

* * *

It was a few hours before noon even though the weather made telling the time misleading. Men stirred from the boat and the sails filled, the fog lifted slightly and as Merida looked around her she saw the many ships that a few hours ago were hidden by the grip of fog.

For the first time in many years they moved to defend their lands,Bear headed ships sailing north.  
150 yards out on another ship, a red headed beardless man gave a sly smile and gave a single wave over to her own ship. The Triplets were broken up among the ships, as no ship ( but mostly the crew ) could bare them all together or all at once.

Merida dusted off her hands covered in pastry crumbs on her cloak and held her hood up over her head against with winds tugging fingers. Her father was on one of those ships , and he, like her mother had no idea she was boarded.

The sky darkened...  
Harris stood up , Merida looked into the darkened sky the fog making it very difficult to see even the clouds above them . It was noon ,something was wrong ,very wrong.

The men on the ships murmured and grew pale. Superstition ran rampted through the men. They wondered if the blue men in the waters had come to drown them.

Merida climbed the main mast as the men on the ship stood in awe , there was a glow on the shore bright enough to shine through the fog. Suddenly a stink filled the winds just as Merida saw that it in fact; was not a dragon sleeping on the shore , as the men whimpered on about.

It was a fire , more specifically, it was, what was left of a village.

Lumps of wood floated in the calm waters , the distant crackly of a great fire was more clear now .  
as the wind, like the men on the ships , had held its breath. It was a scary silence.

Smoke was darkening the sky and looking down ,Harris grabbed at some of the debris from the waters, 'burned pieces of ships'.

Harris held it up silently to his sister as she stood on a rope ladder hanging above him about 20 feet in the air. Her free hand gripping her bow her heart sounding in her ears like war drums.

Merida looked at him wide eyed. Then at the shore.  
The fog lifted.  
The pieces of broken boats charred by fire gently bumped their ships hulls, making a dull knocking sound. All eyes viewed the pillars of fire. All the men were silent.

"It might as well should have been a dragon' thought Merida .

"To castle Dingwall! " It was a knife in the silence that sprang the men to life , as they scrambled to fill the sails in the low wind repeating what the Bear King commanded. They sailed on with new purpose .

The Norse men had beat them, they were here in the Dingwall lands..


	2. Chapter 2

The boats were docking ,the rest of the trip went on as grim as a funeral procession. It was not a casket they carried but Sad news from the south. The town of Dingwall was crowded and slightly chaotic , the people here mostly had fair hair, and Merida and her clansmen could be picked out easily with their brightly colored locks.

There was urgency all around them.

Everything was carted off the ship to be replaced or restocked, or fixed.

They had made it to the Castle Dingwall to speak with reigning lord so to strike a united front against the northern invaders.

But what made things difficult is that after the failed courting of lady DunBroch the lords drew further apart. Even Merida could feel it.

it was the price of her freedom ,as happy as it made her, it also caused her great guilt.

The village burning in the morning fog struck her as an arrow to her chest.

That was her fault. She was here because the falling out of the lords was her doing. And the falling out of the lords made them all weak.

Freedoms came with a hefty cost. It caused a wound in the once peaceful lands around Dunbroch , she was determined to see this clan meeting through, and heal some of the hurt she caused.

Her father forbid her from coming but she was a woman now , 24 years had made her bold and full of honor as any clansman. If there was a rift because of her then she was going to fix it.

Hubert stepped forward his head bobbing above the crowd as the Dingwall clan was not known to be a very tall people.

"Harris!" Hubert squeezed his way to his brother and sister. "Da' (dad) is making his way t' the castle!"

Their older sister gathered her skirts in one fist the other clenched in a ball, she jumped from the boat to the docks and through the thick crowd.

"O,Oh Oh! Woot do we h'ave here?!"

Hubert was the second family member to know of her whereabouts and he smiled with all the teeth in his head

"Da's (dad is) going to H'ave a fit! He's gon' to be a raggin (very angry) when he sees yah!"

His sister was having none of it. She blew passed him, her hood up and her bow hanging over her shoulder and across her back like a strap of a bag women would carry.

But she was no woman the likes of clan Dingwall had ever seen, and they made a path for her. Half of them amused to see a fair lady with a bow on her back and the other horrified at her boldness. Hamish, the third and last of the triplets , scuttled through the crowd behind his brothers and looking onward at their sister he knew what was going on.

"Is that?"-Hamish said a bit out of breath from swimming though a sea of people.

"oh 'Aye' " - Hubert and Harris nodded and said together watching Merida and the chaos of the crowd splitting in front of her.

Just like their mum, she did not need a crown to present herself as important, and everyone saw that.

Soon everyone would know she was here and not at home where she aught to be.

"and don'ne ( do not ) tell me she's goin'-" Hamish said pointing meekly to the castle where their father was making his way before them.

"Oh 'Aye', She is!" The two oldest said in unison- and the three of them struck out immediately weaving through the crowd as fast as they could none of them wanting to miss what the bear king would say.

Lord Ross Dingwall was a red ball of pent up rage, he looked dead into the eyes of the giant monster of a man before him. Fergus DunBroch was tower, his cloths almost completely covered by a sea of black fur.

Merida made her way through the open doors of the great Hall. Her dad was there in the hide of Mor'du , the bear skin covered his massive shoulders the skin itself was dull and if the hide was much smaller it would not have been fit to be worn by the ageing king. But the shear mass of the bear was enough to strike fear into any towns person. It trailed behind the king claws still attached, and leaving drag marks behind him.

Lord Dingwall was not afraid and he looked like a mangy animal. His fair hair stood on end atop his head and his arms were covered in a thick fair fur. His eyes wildly popping out of his head , he looked like an old hunting dog trying to tree a bear. That bear being her Father.

Wee lord Rabbie Dingwall calmly stood beside his father and looked un-amused , or unaware of the violent yelling match carrying on a few feet beside him. But what Rabbie did notice was a figure at the end of the room dressed in dark green and a long vale of red, red hair.

Beside Rabbie Dingwall his father was so wound up he could have been breathing fire.

"HAW! My Clansmen willnea stand be'en shoulder t' shoulder with the Toaty (small) glaikit (stupid ) jobbies that dat'stardly clan Aye'm furced to share a boarder wit!-"

the people massed in the great hall whipped their attention to the far corner of the room. There the northerly Scotsmen stood in a group blue tattoos shining like distant lightning , not unlike the color of their eyes .

They roared in anger at the bold taunts from clan Dingwall. They brandished swords and axes in the air but they were greatly outnumbered in the Dingwall castle and drew their shields up surrounding the sixty something men in a cemi-circle their backs against the wall. Clan Macintosh was obviously there to put their best forward in order to have some unity but Lord Dingwall was seeing red. This was going to be a mass slaughter if the 'discussion' continued the way it was.

"AYE willnea stand fur it! You h'ave been away too long King Dunbrogh, after the dafty ( stupid ) bit fur yur daughters hand making us all look like darn scunners!"

Merida felt her steps grow heavy at the loud words being yelled about her. A less grownup part of her made her find it hard to keep her pace as she strode into the hall. She was ready to face the consequences of her actions and defend her freedom but more importantly she would show them-

' they need not my hand to hold each other up in battle , more now then ever, now when they needed unity'.

Yes she made the clans men look like fools even though the young lords agreed with her. The lords themselves had grown over the years a different opinion as without the stability of a marriage between the clans there grew a rivalry between Dingwall, MacGuffin and Macintosh. Land disputes and the occasional fighting amongst themselves made the three clans verge on internal war. They did not trust each other in the least. The stress of walking on a blades edge showed on Lord Dingwalls face.

King Fergus grew bright red and before he could defend his daughter she piped up for him. Ferugus DunBroch had his hand on the hilt of his sword and the Lord Dingwall dared him to do it, unsheathe it .

"Lord Dingwall!" Merida's voice rang out from the middle of the gathering in front of the two leaders.

Merida drew back her hood. For as much as she could not see it in herself , the people around her could not help notice the similarities she had to her mother the queen. They all knew her, but most importantly they knew she was a surprised guest. Her triplet devils could not contain their smiles as they appeared in a huff at the open castle doors .

Good , they had not missed a thing.

Her hair bounced finally free of the green hood and fell thankfully below her elbows.

All eyes transfixed on her but she looked in control talking calmly over the lump in her throat.

Clan Macintosh dropped their swords and the shields dipped down as the men gawked at the red headed woman commanding the crowd. Lord Macintosh gritted his teeth ,' what was she up to ?'

Merida took her bow from her shoulder and with the other hand undid her cloak, striding up to the two leaders she climbed the steps and without breaking eye contact she passed the cloak to a man standing by the wayside, but kept her bow in her fist. It was her calm ,the smooth wood under her fingers made her feel in control. She could tell her father was still in shock but after it wore off it would only go two ways; anger ,or -she could not think that way.

"My lord" she bowed her head to the stout man with his mouth agape.

" Young lord Dingwall." She exchanged a small head bow to the ghostly lad eyeing her with a glazed look. Coming to the foot of the massive chairs at the top of the stairs she turned to the crowd , she acknowledged the small band of clan Macintosh in the corner, and raised her bow to them in salute.

"Clan Macintosh !" The small group cheered uneasily , raising weapons and striking shields.

"- and hospital warriors of Clan Dingwall !" A roar of cheering , the triplets yelped over the sound of many clans men shaking the rafters with their voices .

' ah' got them now' she thought shaking slightly. ' Don't let this momentum go'

" My king , may I?" Her dad looked grim down upon her. She looked away from him , the Bear king was terrifying when he was not smiling. Being on the brink of war will take the joy from your heart. She took the silence from her father as her chance .' Don't goose this up.'

" My lords we all H'ave suffered greatly. Clan Dingwall your people are mighty-"- a small cheer from the crowd -" But as mighty as we are we can'nea (can not ) be squabbling anymore! Fightin amongst ourselves only weakens us! Clan Macintosh you withstood the first blows from the Norsemen, not only did you draw them back but they feared you! " The sixty men cried out with the sound of 200 voices. They were a mighty and proud clan, there was no doubt. The northern sea they lived by made them bold and fearless.

" Our leaders are no fools , they are strong as the oaks ! But a large oak can not stand without deep roots. Lord Macintosh , lord Dingwall I may not give you my hand for your sons, for Aye can'nea give it freely , but I can give you my word , my bow, and my vow to your clans. I will be your roots and we will together hold each other up as a tall oak , and no northerner may hew us doon!"

There was silence , Merida searched the crowd. She was shaking but her face resembled a lake not moved by the winds.

Her eyes rested upon her brothers not daring to move and look at her king. They smiled , she could not help it a small smile crossed her lips and the boys clapped there hands and whistled but it lasted only a second for they were drowned out by a storm of happy voices. Hamish, Harris and Hubert started through the crowd towards their sister. The group of Macintosh disbanded and joined the masses in celebration. Merida let her smile grow a bit and for the first time she looked at her king in his great soft eyes.

Her father looked on solemnly, no he was not angry any more he was- was it sadness? She could not make out the emotion in his eyes he looked at her yet he was distant. Merida took up a flask from a man standing by the thrown and placed it in her dads hands.  
"go on da'…" She nudged him to make a toast and. Gently he took the flask from her, placing a giant hand upon her shoulder he raised it above his head.

" AIE! We are all drawn together like many streams becoming a loc! Let us celebrate as brothers and drink deeply ! Sing loudly and eat heartily tonight !" The sea of people rejoiced. The mood took a turn for the better, no, it was the best possible outcome. Unity , they would need it. King Fergus turned to Lord Dingwall and the boys took up cups of ale as casts were being opened and rolled up from the cellars.

Lord Macintosh approached Lord Dingwall , he stood next to him and stared the scowling man down.

"On the sacred oak Ross?" Lord Macintosh held out his hand and arm towards the man that resembled an old cranky badger , and it was taken by Lord Dingwall.

"Aye " They held each others forearms in a tight grip.

No it was not a completely joyous time but the festering wound of mistrust was showing signs of healing, but only barely.

"So ma' wee bonnie Daughter, y'e are h'er(here) . Was it a barrel you hid inside or was one of yu'r brothers in on this?" The bear king sat in lord Dingwalls great seat almost dwarfing the large chair under him.

"No da' I was in a rolled up mast. " She kissed his forehead her hand over his as he looked on in front of him sipping his ale. He nodded. He could not tell if she was joking or not, but it didn't matter how she snuck on the ship. If she wanted to do something she was going to find a way to do it. The triplets laughed and danced a jig on a table in the mist of the party together, music was paying now . Surly this party would go on till the wee hours.

Her dad gripped his leg that ended in a large wooden peg larger then the trunk of most trees he massaged his knee with one hand.

"Y'e mum is go'ne (going to) have words with you when we git back." The bear king sighed. "I don'nea ( do not) think you will listen if I ask ye' to go hom."

Merida held her breath.

" You will come sail on my ship daughter , on to Castle MacGuffin. " The king looked up at his daughter , his rough face portrayed no emotion but his eyes told her all she needed to know. He was not happy she was here but he would rather her safe with him then to fight her the whole way.

"Da'.." She started-

"Merida I can only do me best to protect ya'. The village we saw tis ( it is) only the beginning, what you did, Aye (yes) it was something Merida, but oaktrees can burn to the ground no matter how big they gruw (grow) " Her father was disheartened after all these years of squabbling and now the biggest threat was at their doorstep.

"Da' I love you , nothing can go wrong when we stay together "

He nodded and turned back away from her . A part of him believed his daughters words.

Wee lord Rabbie Dingwall observed all of this in silence. He stood behind his father at his rightful place beside the thrown. This was the first time he had seen Merida in ages , and she had grown, not much taller but into a shield maiden. But he was not the only man to dwell on the sight of her flames for hair and ice for eyes. Rabbie looked down to a black haired Pict now larger then he remembered him . Young lord Macintosh. He watched Merida like a hunter watching a deer just out of his shot range. Rabbie seldom felt , well, much really . But he felt something then for the way young Macintosh looked at their Princess. Rabbie Dingwall twitched his nose as if he had a itch and turned his eyes to the caste wall where he remained looking unmoved for the rest of the evening.

* * *

Merida strode on in the moonlight, cheering peoples voices was carried by the rustling wind in the trees.

Walking Out in the forest always caused her to feel calm.

Angus her Clydesdale was at home but moonlit runs in the woods made her relax . She muddled over the thought of picking a stallion from the Dingwall stables. The lands from the north were fabled to be filled with fabulous creatures older then all of magic, when there was only land and sea.

A lonely sound like a reed flute played behind her. She knew that sound from long ago. And it called to her.

"AYE WILL NAE FOLLOW YOU"

She was shaking now , and her shout came as a surprise to herself and to the night animals of the woods.

The last time she heard that noise she almost lost her brothers and mother forever. It terrified her and she knew it was just behind her.

The forest was quiet and Merida held her breath. Maybe she had dreamed it and she was being silly. It had been so long ago and she was so far from home it could not be a-

The musician-less flute played again and she sank to her knees her hands fell on grass cold with night dew.

No it could not be real.

Merida lifted her long red hair out of her way as she looked behind her over her shoulder.

There , a blue orb of cold flame fluttered like a butterfly about 20 yards away from her .

A wisp

And for the first time in a long time she let a tear roll down her cheek as she looked back in fear. Fate called her once again.

Merida got up on shaking legs turned and started for the castle , for her bed on the ship, she did not mean to run, but she did and she did not look back.


	3. Chapter 3

The ships were heavy with food and weapons. The Norsemen were sea wolves , they would attack without warning, take what they wanted leaving without a trace. They had to be prepared on their way to Castle MacGuffin. With them sailed Lord Dingwall and his eldest son, clad in a light green on a dark green tartan. The Dingwalls were aboard the kings ship with Hamish and the princess. In their own boats were the northerly scots of the Macintosh Clan, sailing beside them a Harp painted on their sales with men clad in red tartans running about the ships.

The fleet would make a"upside-down N" shape out to the sea then down another set of lakes going first north. Almost to Castle Macintosh then South west down the canals to the last castle.

The men aboard did not squabble and fight , just yet any way, but they stayed in there groups. There was a painful rift and Merida had no idea how to sew it back together.

She remembered the tapestry her mother had wove and she had cut down. The threads on that tapestry were like the men manning these ships. They frayed away from each other.

Merida shook her head her hands clasped behind her back. She just needed he right needle and thread that was all. But where to find it?

She thought back , 'Maybe I should h'av' taken a groom" Then she bunched up her nose at the idea like it had a foul smell. 'No , I can not picture me life with any of those men.' Her eyes lifted and she looked out on the water at the other she caught a glimpse of young Macintosh and it disheartened her when he waved. He was over 100 yards away but she could tell he winked her way. This made Merida tighten her smile to one side of her face trying to hide her displeasure.

For the very time she was a wee Bonny Lassie she was as wild as a fairy , jumping in the clover , running through glens. She became more and more wild as the years went by. But then it was harmless ,now she felt distant from her people. The shield maidens in her clan , even they settled down so to speak.

She was like a Selkie, her mother had said. A Mermaid of the waters wild , free to swim as she pleased. Just like a selkie she knew that given the chance of freedom she would take it, every time. How can a man take her as his bride if she was always down in the heather , in the woods exploring and shooting her arrows. Oh yes, she could cook , sew and she loved the wee babies. But she was not fit for any man as they would easily become frustrated with her uncontrollable nature. No it was best this way. Being the best archer in her clan was all she knew, and it was accepted and admired by all around her. It was the only thing that she felt she could do right.

Hamish was with Merida on the kings ship. Harris, his older brother by 5 minutes, loved the idea of their sister being aboard. But he could see the pain it caused his father. Yes, she was a well enough warrior , but losing the princess in battle. I was a great risk that she was here. The cost of loosing her was too great and now that she forced their hands to take her on this voyage ; the chance they may loose the hire to castle Dunbroch was a real one.

Merida looked over at her serious brother sharpening a spearhead with a river stone. His eyebrows knit in concentration over his work . The triplets were very much identical yes but there personalities were oceans apart. Merida walked over to Hamish taking the stone from his hand . He scowled. Then she opened a hand to him and rolling his eyes at her he handed over the spear. She set to work sharpening the metal , she was much better at it then he was.

"So you going to tell me why y'r lookin like you got jaggy nettles (poinsion ivy)in your nickers or are ye going to go around dulling all the blades on this ship?" she gave him a little chuckle.

"Fine one to talk Baw-Heid ( big head) . Yoou should N'ay h'av come" Hamish was blunt. He did not hide his feelings.

"Oh Aye, then what should I H'av done?"

"Stayed At hom with mum, y'r too muh for the crew too a'worry about" he paused not looking at his sister but picking up a peace of rope and beginning to wind it over his elbow making a neat coil .

He was right the crew was worried about how to protect their future queen.

"Fine then-" Merida put down the stone and spear and stepped up on the barrel Hamish was using for a seat. She grabbed at a rope that was drawn taught between the side of the ship and a mast, stepping out onto the railing of the ship. They where out at sea traveling east going into another lake system but the land was far away and it was a cool fall day.

Hamish jumped out of his seat so fast the barrel was knocked over.

" Guess ill swim hom then." Merida took a committed step off of the railing ,Hamish fumbled with the ropes in his hands and grabbed her skirt hem in a frantic leap.

Then nothing , no slash, no yelp from other crewmen.

Hamish looked up wild eyed at his sister giggling down at him ,she held onto another rope just above her head feet dangling over the edge of this ship. The crew howled at Hamish being tricked, King Fergus laughed heartily at his son.

Hamish realizing he held her skirts in the ball of his fists. Letting out a cry of anger. He jumped up and grabbed his sister under his arm tugging her away from the ropes. Picking her up with both hands he folded her and stuck her bottom in an half empty barrel of apples. She was stuck but still laughing.

"Hamish! Get back here Aye'm stuck!" She managed to say between laughs but Hamish was not coming back, and he made his way to the other side of the ship. The Bear King looked on with a half smile. Merida was cleaver, but only if she used it for the good of her people.

King Fergus tuned his attention to the skin maps laying on a bench seat and went back to looking over them. ,

Merida held both hands on the lip of the barrel but her skirts make it hard to pull herself Dingwall came overand lifted her up slightly from under her shoulders. It was just enough to get her free of the barrel.

Merida straitened out her blue skirts , she did not like help and nodded a thanks to Wee Dingwall.

"Goin' for a' bit of a swim?" Merida looked up in disbelief. The fair haired Celt seldom spoke a word. His eyes were silver like his hair and he looked ghostly, almost. As if he had survived being pulled from icy was years since she had seen him and maybe things had changed.

She liked to scare her brothers as much as they liked to play tricks on her . But that was a hard thing to explain.

"Do you have brothers Wee-"

"Rabbie."

Rabbie Dingwall looked bored with her , clearly only his dad called him Wee Dingwall. But this was the first real conversation she had with. She remember how he left her Kingdome grasping her hand and pecking at it like a hen would peck at a barnyard for grain. The memory was not one that made her was a handsome enough Man he must have been 22 or so now just slightly younger but unlike her brother he was the same size as she was.

"-and I h'av one other brother , hes back at hom , The rest are my 6 darlin' older sisters." The Dingwall clan was known for the beauty of the young daughters of their lord. By some miracle , as their father looked like a albino hedgehog, they grew lovely and tall with beautiful silver hair , most of them happily married now.

"Aye , yes , That's nice too hear -Rabbie" She nodded her head. He had a clutch of older sisters all elf like, like the Fairy people that lived on the island of Skye. She was not liking the idea of being compared to a elegant group of fairy women and she began to look for a way out of the conversation.

Rabbie Dingwall gently picked a apple from the barrel she had been stuck in and ate it thoughtfully .

" They grew out of their wild phase. "

Merida was a woman ,and women don't throw apples at other lords of the court. But she thought about it.

" I grew into my wild phase quite nicely, I find it suits me just fine- and on that note I hope enjoy the rest of the trip." That was her way of saying ' you struck a wrong cord with me please do not talk to me again'. She had learned to bite her lip from her mother and how to politely tell someone to 'shove off'

" Tis more suited for a quinnie (female)bear or a foxie in the furrist don't y'u think?"

Merida stopped in her tracks and slowly tuned around. Was that a nod to her turning her mother into a bear?

But before she could open her mouth Hamish had made his way back to that side of the ship after a brief cool down. He was back to his normal serious self. One thing was true, he was very protective of his family. Hamish drew in a big snort through his nose, the sea air had caused for a few runny noses. He coughed a bit seeking attention from the two , he was only 15 but he was more then a foot over Wee Rabbie Dingwall.

"Wee' robbert' , goot to see yah ." Hamish mirrored Rabbies' un-amused face back at the young lord.

"Ducking for apples are we ? If ur interested in a WEE game I can hold ur ankels over the side o the ship and -" Hamish stepped forward but the Dingwall did not retreat.

"- its alright Harris ," Rabbie knew the triplets hatted to be confused and anybody could see it was Hamish in front of him. "I'm done playin with fire for today. " He shot an eyebrow raise at Merida and gave a smug grin. Rabbie tuned to take his leave.

"You should Negh h'av come" Hamish repeated watching the ghostly man confidently make his way to the back of the ship where lord Dingwall and king Fergus were talking. Lord Dingwall clasped his son on his shoulder and gave him a laugh. He had shown his dad the way he got under Merida's skin and It was taken as a small victory for the Dingwall clan.

"Hamish." Merida said quietly. He turned to his sister .

"I just wan'te to protect ya.. We all do , even da'-"

"Hamish I saw a wisp "

"OCH! (well!) did ya tell anyone?! Where was it? Oh I doon-nea (do not) want to be a bairn (baby) bear again!" He held her forearms pleading . " That meat pie I just at' (ate) , tell me truthfully am I gona be a bear?"

"GET OFF ME ya dafty!" She shook her brothers grip off her arms and looked into her pleading brothers eyes. "Nae! If you think for one moment I would have any dealings with fate-changing-witchcraft you can just haul me over the side of the ship and be done wi't me!"

"Och! What do you think it means?!" He clasped his hands together. He was shaking.

She pushed her hair away from her face and sat down hard on a coiled rope ,her brother kneeling onto the floor in front of her.

"Hamish I don't know . All I kan tell you is the wisps bring you to your fate. I'm suppose to be here. A'n I saw it , but I didnea follow it, I don't want anything to do with fate!" she looked up at Hamish pleading for him to be quiet.

" No turning people into furrist animals ,Aye?" he pleaded back.

Merida looked over her brothers large shoulders. Rabbies silver eyes met hers , she shuttered.

This was not the place to talk about this.

"Hamish I promise … just keep me close , no more of this wishin I was back at hoome, I cant fight you and the clansmen at the same time."

" Aye." Hamish gained control over himself, " No moore fightin, for all of us , there will be a time fur that"

" I wanted to tell you, the fates are here, Im meant to be here , so we are going to have to get ov'er that."

Hamish nodded solomly

"Aye, your ringing clear , just tell me the next time you see em, no runnin off"

Merida looked back at Wee Dingwall , he was not looking over at them any longer but he knew more then he let on. Merida knew that .

* * *

Hamish had gained his old seriousness back after a day or so. The boats they traveled on were the fastest in the Kingdom and the best sailors had been aboard making the wooden fish shapes fly over the water. There was hardly any more new raids by the Norsemen but they noticed something as they drew closer to castle Macguffin. The people had left the shore towns deserted. They had reseeded to the most westerly and southerly parts of lord Maguffins lands. The castle itself was atop of a cliff like island sitting to one side of a long lake. The lake itself was surrounded by a large hill range that hid the sun long before it set on Scotland. It was a shadowy place in the mornings and the evenings. The hills were a thick green and as they made a turn in the boats they saw the castle could be easily accessed but a long sandy path from the mainland. It drew higher and higher to the castle. The clan was known to produce large warriors , the castle looked large enough to house them comfortably as well as fit there own clansmen.

They had been a week or so traveling and the siblings of clan DunBroch got off their boats groaning and thankful for land. Hamish and Merida walked off the docs. There was no one there to greet the clansmen. Something was wrong but as they looked up to the castle they could see the gates opening and letting out a soft light of many fires within. It was welcoming enough and the two started for the steep climb, Harris and Hubert catching up with long strides.

Young Macintosh saw the group and nodding to his father she smiled and stepped towards the group of red heads. The triplets wore blue tartans with a red worn out stripethey wore sporrans with matching bagger fur , dark colored tunics with bits of leather armor here and there.

The princess wore a thick woven blue dress with a plaid sash over her shoulder fastened with a bear broach over her heart. Macantosh had grown not much bigger but more wiry like his dad. His black hair was an impossible tangled had been covered in more blue tattoos now and his bare chest and arms were a thing of pride for lady had yet passed over any of his advances and it was very obvious looking at the confidence the strode up to the siblings with.

young lord Macintosh smiled broadly and he made big steps as if he was following the blood trail of a wounded deer. He had thought long and hard over the red haired lass.

She did not want anything to do with him and he loved it.

With contained hatred Rabbie Dingwall looked on. He was not one to run and he would not betray his composure . But seeing the Pict trot up to the princess made him seer with anger. But only on the inside. On the outside he looked absent minded gazing at the weather but he did allow himself to cross his arms tightly.

For as long as Merida's hand was free to be wed, the clansmen had also forbade their sons to marry. The crown of Dunbrough was too mighty of a prize. Rabbie was a lot like Harris in that perspective. He was in it for the long game, he was calculating and intelligent. The fact he rarely talked was apart of his composure and sign of self control . He wanted the crown, yes the princesses beauty was something he could be happy with, but to finally have his own lands to reign over. His sisters had grown and moved in with other lords becoming ladies in there own lands. He felt the pit of his stomach turn thinking about he had to wait to have his own lands, but this was his chance.

He let out a soft breath and looked back to Ian Macintosh, that laddie would ruin it all on his own he reminded himself. And Rabbie was often right.

* * *

Ian strode next to the siblings by then they had been talking amongst themselves , something about a thing they have seen in the woods, and bears. That was not too surprising as the clan loved tall tails about bears. Ian loved a good bear hunt but the Dunbroch were obsessed.

Merida grabbed her brother Hamish, and he looked about at Ian Macintosh. Just then the four stopped talking all together, and started looking thoughtfully onward to the open castle gates atop the hill. Harris smiled and nodded at young lord Macintosh. Merida and Hamish looked forward determined and Hubert played with a stick he was chewing was well aware ,whatever they were talking about he was not allowed to eavesdrop. He shrugged it off.

"Hubert I have nea seen ye' in these parts for a lang time." Hubert nodded, the group was silent.

"Well ye must know why the castle in such a state…" Ian dropped the hint in front of the siblings. Harris tightened his lips he knew he was being baited for a reaction, but he could not stop his brother Hubert. He was too late.

"oh Aye and what may that be?"-Hubert said with small interest

"Well don ye know we Picts have a very large piece of land farr op nurth." He eyed Merida who was listening intently but looking forward. "-and we hear things sometimes from farr in wide sometimes befur the king dos. Och, we caught a wee bard runin fur his life up from thease pearts. He has quite the sturry to tell. Had me mum all in teairs it did ,me poor mum,sad songs he sung an all" Ian loved knowing more then others , he loved feeing important . Why wouldn't he? He was important! And he had Merida's attention, he could feel it though the wall of triplet bear cubs as they flanked her. He could tell by her stiff posture she was hanging on to his words.

"Geet on-wit-it " growled Hamish, Harris shushed him.

"Well same story as always ; norseman came, burned everything to the ground there was a great battle..."

The red haired siblings marched on up the hill from the bay and made it from the well trimmed pasture to a sandy road that led up and over a thin bridge. The bridge was being repaired but it was in use, there were burn marks everywhere. The battle could not have been more then a month past. What Ian was saying was the truth. It chilled Merida. She blamed herself . Harris saw this and noticed the strain on her face ,he put a firm hand behind her back, it made it look like he was helping her on the path but really it was more to comfort her silently. Hamish was gritting his teeth. Hubert looked over at Ian sleepily but with warning.

"We Hav' a new lord in clan MacGuffin" it nearly took Merida off her feet ,she stumbled , coughed her tears back and strode onward. Her hood up and her face grim.

Dismissively she replied to one of her brothers,

" Ithink I may go fur a ride…"

That what Merida would say when she meant 'leave me alone'

Harris nodded and the boys peeled back from her, walking slower and beside Ian Macintosh. Smiling, the black haired Celt took this as his que to talk to the red hair lass , but the three boys threw questions at him that he felt obligated to answer . Young lord Macintosh watched as Merida disappeared in front of the boys into the walls of clan MacGuffin and in just a few minutes she flew out into the approaching night into the woods on a black and white workhorse.


	4. Chapter 4

Merida galloped the horse wildly though the forest paths.

Lord MacGuffin was dead, an old friend of her father.

He was a man she thought was untouchable.

The mortal truth of her great clansmen hurt her deeply.

The rift that was created because of her decision , it caused the clan to loose their Lord.

There in the forested hills the moonlight glinted off the eyes watching her.

The horse was foaming at his neck and she could feel the sweat on her reigns.

Something in the forest chimed to her.

She closed her eyes tightly , but she could hear the music sound to her.

Blue flames twinkled in the night just ahead of her.

But she kept her eyes shut.

Merida pushed the horse onward though she could barely hold on to the reigns.

She had an overwhelming feeling to run away as fast as she could.

Tears welled, she was surrounded by people who directly blamed her. For what ?

Because she wanted to be free? What was wrong with being herself ?

Now the villagers were being burned out of their homes.

Scattered out of their towns or shipped away over the seas in chains. What of their freedom?

She made it to a ridge the horse crow hopped to a stop, he could go no further.

The winds from the valley bellow rushed up the side of the cliff and pushed her hood back and .

Through painful tears she opened her eyes to its touch.

There was a great many mounds around her , the ridge overlooked the lake and Castle bellow.

Didn't she promise her brother she would not run away

The urge to be alone was too strong, how could they understand?

A tower can only stand so long before it crumbles. She was crumbling and needed to put herself together.

On the right side of the narrow lake below her the MacGuffin fortress stood lit up with fires.

Merida was aware of herself trying to catch her breath.

The light was a bit brighter out of the woods and the moon glow lit up the grassy clearing around her.

The moon was rising and it caught a reflection off of the lake.

A small reed flute played behind her , she looked around wildly.

Gritting her teeth she jumped from the horse and taking her bow from her shoulder she notched an arrow.

As she steadied herself she drew her bowstring she was shaking but even a shaking Merida was a deadly shot.

" show Ye' self!" In the forest you were never alone. She was right but the eyes that watched her came from behind.

Merida looked like a wild animal. Even her brothers would draw back from her.

"where are YA!" she screamed again , a small echo of her voice sounded in the valley behind her. She released her draw on the bow slowly holding the arrow in her hand and the arrow drooped harmlessly to the ground.

She whimpered, stopping a sob, there before her was a small blue flame.

Fate was bigger then her. But there was no Hag and a magic cauldron to help give her clues.

She stood firm, lost in the flame of the wisp.

How was she going to fix the rift, she knew of the dishonor she caused to the Lords. She could not think of her mistakes or of the past.

The wisp disappeared with a moan. And she was left alone. She felt dizzy from all the crying she had been doing.

" how am I suppose to fix things by m'self."

She sat down on a stone exhausted.

Her bow and her arrow held uselessly in her hands , this was not an issue she could solve with defending her rights as a free woman. She needed to be defending the freedoms of the families broken and in chains being torn away to unknown seas. She had heard the stories from the survivors. The shaken looks on there faces, they would never get their families back.

She stopped herself from breaking into a weeping mess again.

NO.

She was done with running away and crying, yes the lords were not immune to the call to Tir Ni Nog ( the land of the forever young).

"What would you do Lord MacGuffin" .

The red haired woman looked around , the wisp was gone.

But it had been here.

It had been here for a reason, Merida told herself .

Closing her eyes and giving her head a firm shake.

She could do this.

'What was it here that the wisp wanted her to see?'

Spinning around she took a closer look at the mounds.

It was a graveyard. Fear gripped her , not a place you wanted to visit at night.

She heard stories of fairy folk stealing away human woman never to be seen again.

The fairy folk lived in sidhe's.

little mounds like the ones that gathered in the clearing.

But no fae called to her tonight.

The wave of flower petals in the moonlight caught her attention.

She moved over to a fresh mound with a large stone at its head.

It had a large cauldron etched into it.

This was Lord MacGuffins grave.

The magic cauldron was his crest.

She leaned down to the mound feeling unprepared she took off a ring from her finger. She lifted a small corner of sod off the mound and placed the ring underneath.

" I am Sorry my lord." she placed a hand on the grave.

She remembered all the stories she heard from her father ; the Bear King about the blond bearded mountain that was the lord of the clan MacGuffin.

"Our clans have a strong bond to one another. Like brothers." she was talking to the mound softly,she wanted more then anything to comfort the spirit now passed to the other worlds.

"I will not take your fall lightly, the northerners will pay Macguffin, for as lang as I live I will see to that."

She shivered and bowed her head.

" We are goin' to figure this oot. No matter the cost Lord Macguffin. I will'negh let your lands go without the hands of friendship ever again."

The pale petals on his grave had wilted they had been out in the elements for a week or so.

How was it that a mighty warrior like lord MacGuffin fell?

"Oh Aye, is that so?"

Merida jumped up. WHO SAID THAT?!

She grabbed her bow tightly looking around. The large stones cast many shadows.

No one was here. Just then she looked forward to the line of trees ahead of her.

Something moved in the woods. Whatever it was It spooked the horse and it started off down back to the castle on the path. Maybe it was the fairy folk , but Merida was not that lucky.

She drew her bow ,arrow notched she turned to the forest again someone was there, men moved behind the trees. She could not tell how many they were and they moved silently.

Only their backs and heads lit by the moonlight but she could tell they were not clansmen, they wore pants.

Merida threw herself behind the large stone. She was not alone, there she found the owner of the voice that answered her.

Lord MacGuffin was there, that is to say the new lord , his eldest son. She thought he was dead , he sat motionless feet ahead of him facing the cliff and the castle , the bolder was between them and the men in the forest.

"banshee… " Young MacGuffin said in a drawn out whisper.

Merida looked on in horror.

She was sure anyone that sat that still with eyes open had to be dead.

Did the corps talk to her? She moved closer.

"Macguffin, are you alive?!" she hissed at him , taking his hand ,it had to be the truth. His hand, it was warm.

But he stared on to the castle bellow unmoved.

She smelled something from him, Ale. He was drunk.

"Banshee you come for me too."

It was more of a statement then a question.

He talked as someone exhausted from crying. His face was worn and he looked 30 years of age rather then the 24 years he actually was.

He referred to her as a banshee, a fairy woman of sorrow that predicts the onslaught of war, death, plagues.

Or of loss. looking at the clansman at the foot of the grave ;he was sick with loss.

This man was out of his mind from grief.

She had seen it after some battles or Norseman raids.

Even men were not immune to it.

She heard of a man throwing himself into a lake after his wife and babe was taken from him.

She looked over to the cliff and swallowed hard.

Gods, is that what he was doing?!

"MaGuffin , best be find'in Ye'r wits, I cannegh carry Y'e !" Pleaded now "MacGuffin we need t' leave!" she breathed into his ear. There was no way she could carry him.

He was clad in a green tartan striped with orange. No wonder it was hard to spot him in the clearing his long kilt and sash matched the moonlit grasses. She tuned his face towards her . His looked through her as if she was not there, that made her go numb. 'He can't even see me '.

"comon MacGuffin!" Giving his cheek a couple of little taps , trying best to be quiet,.

she heard a rustling behind her , she reached for her bow . In one fluid motion she turned , a man was there braids all through his hair, he did not wear a tartan.

She drew her bow as she turned around.

The tall long bearded man saw them and he stood there.

In his hand an ax glistened in the moonlight.

'not a clans man-"

Release.

The arrow made its mark scarcely before she could finish her thought.

'- he was Norse… they are here'

The arrow shot from her bow and a soft knock sound hit her ears almost immediately.

At the 10 yards away he had been standing made him a very easy target.

The arrow hit him through the eye socket, it was a quick and silent death.

To any onlookers He was just another mound on the ground .

Worried the body would be visible, She crawled over quickly and rolled over the man.

He carried a long axe and a shield , she took both from the body and closing her eyes she tried to pull the arrow from his skull. It did not give way at the first tug, no use. She pushed the body off the cliff just a foot away from where he lay. Then with the ax and shield she returned to the massive bolder.

Young lord MacGuffin was not a small man and he took up almost the whole other side of the head stone at his fathers grave.

But yet still he looked onto the lake below unmoved by the Norseman's sudden death.

The moon caught his long blond hair and his new long strait beard just as the one his father had before him.

Merida shoved the ax into his hands and the shield onto his chest.

"we h'ave to go, your people cannegh ( can not) loose Ye now." look who was talking she thought.

She could hear something from behind the stone they rested their backs on.

She held her breath.

Someone was digging at the grave.

" we need to leave," Merida pleaded. Young MacGuffin slid up the stone wall slowly getting to his feet, ax in one hand , shield in the other.

He looked as if he was sleep walking, his body moved but his face and eyes saw nothing.

'His eyes.' Merida felt fear well up inside of her as she looked to the man that stood before her .

Was she certain he was alive?

He was tall as his father was , he could easily be thought of as a bear on its hind legs.

MacGuffin smoothly stepped out from behind the stone and looked down on upon the grave digger.

The Norseman looked up and smiled at the mountain, he was rooting at the grave trying to rob it.

The ax raised but what it struck Merida could not see crouched where she was.

All she saw was MacGuffins arm raise and fall.

It made a sickening sound , a crunching and a squishing.

She was shaking , but got to her feet.

The thought of the Norseman still alive frightened her more then what she may see, and she peered around the stone.

the Clansman stood over a downed Norseman and he wedged the ax free out of the mans skull. Merida's stomach lurched. There was a shout out by the edge of the woods. MacGuffin was a hard man to miss.

They were spotted.

Several men welding axes and swords ran towards them.

They lost their chance for a silent escaped.

'Escape',that was an impossible word right now. MacGuffin gave them a dead stare ,ready, no matter how numerous the enemy.

Urgently she grabbed his tree like arm in her hands.

The clansman stumbled backwards towards the cliffs edge guided by Merida's tugging.

"Move'Ya'Baw-Heeided'Coo ( big headed/ stubborn ox) ! " She pulled with all her strength and hauled him back.

Even though she made him retreat, he raised his axe to the Norsemen and gave out a roar like a great animal.

The ground gave way below them and they fell. the cliff edge could not hold MacGuffin's and Merida's combined weight .

It was a long drop into the frigid waters below.

Merida was a strong swimmer , and an unconscious McGuffin with his large body was surprisingly buoyant.

The fear of the Norsemen subsided for it was trumped by the fear of drowning. She had spent too many days on ships and the sailors lore got to her then in the night waters.

They would talk about the blue men that lived below the waves that dragged the sailors to their deaths. The thought of cold hands reaching up to grab her skirts put some power into her kicks.

After what seemed like a hour they made it to shore, she carried a flint with her wherever she went and used it now at this time. She was shaking from the adrenaline leaving her body.

Soon she had a fire going, but MacGuffin looked pale.

Merida was worried.

The man was going to be out for a while so she thought it safe to let herself undress.

Eyeing the sleeping man she began Taking off her blue dress and hanging it over the fire on a branch .

she wore a thick slip of white with long sleeves then turned to look at MacGuffin, he was soaked.

" oh, crivins… (shoot)"

She walked up to him and began undoing is belt she had seen plenty of boys 'baws' (exactly what you think it is) and bits thanks to her wee devils of brothers growing up in the castle.

She kept her eyes off the massive man.

Luckily the kilt was yards and yards of fabric. She put more then half of it over the fire suspended on sticks.

letting the sleeping man keep his dignity she made sure to keep a fair bit of it draped over him.

It was quiet now and she made a large fire." this close to the castle it would be safe enough."

She had to get the sleeping man warm. Finally after piling more wood on the fire a few minutes later his shivering stopped , he was sleeping off the ale.

It was quiet now, like it had been before.

Is this what she was suppose to do?

Did the wisp want her to save the young lord ?

For surely if she had not run away that night he would have been alone with the Norsemen.

Most likely they would have found him, cut down like his father had been.

Guilt washed over her. She felt like she had stones in her belly. Looking over at the sleeping Lord. It was her fault he lost his father, and however many others too…

"What were you thinkin' Macguffin…" thinking about the Lord all alone ,drunk, sitting with the graves.

She shook her head at him and put her hands on her hips .

Merida realized she did not know his name…

Trying to remember ,she searched her tired memory , no use.

It was too late at night and , she was too cold to think.

Her eyes studied the sleeping man as she stood a few feet away.

It was hard not to notice the fresh scars and stitches all over his body.

There was a great battle, and he fought like a crazed wolf.

The way he swung his ax today. He had done that before. Many times.

Still dwelling on his experience in battle Merida studied him , hoping he would wake soon.

'The Norsemen up on the ridge , they would have retreated for tonight.' Assuring herself.

The surprise loss of men they had would stop them for a few hours but not long.

For now they would be kept at bay.

They needed to get back.


	5. Chapter 5

Two hours drew by slowly, before the mountain moved from a shiver to a deep sleep.

The Lord had a long burnished gold braid , not as fair as Wee Dingwalls. But it was thick, the colour of gold , and now it had finally started to dry.

MacGuffin WAS a harry lad, he had a healthy amount of chest hair as well as a beard. The man was her age, but She had not seen him in more then 6 years time.

The Lord of Castle MacGuffin was visibly warmer with a steady fire beside him.

Merida was drifting off, it was well past midnight now, but she kept her eyes open even as they begged to close.

She kept her eyes on the young warrior. 'He was without fear,' she muddled over his reaction to the Northmen approaching.

He had grown to be the image of his father. Thinking about his fathers fresh grave made her ill.

More stones of guilt in her stomach moved her to draw away from him.

Believing she was the cause of the mistrust between the clans was wearing on her. On top of that MacGuffins fathers' death, for that she was not without blame.

'if the clans trusted each other mor'. If they were mor' willin to help eachother. This would negh have happened."

With heavy eyes she bowed her head at the sleeping man. " I'm sorry Macguffin."

Merida hardly used those words often for in her heart she was never sorry for her actions.

That is to say until now.

She strode to the shore line. Once out on the water she looked back at the camp , he was still sound asleep.

A lonely wind flute played in the night.

Merida was to tired to fight fate tonight.

There in between her and the camp floated a wisp…

"Woot do you want?" she felt sick looking at it.

It erased any doubt she wasn't suppose to be there , right then, at that exact time.

'That's how that sort of magic worked, right?'

Merida shook herself awake, there was something important wasn't there.

"what am I suppose t' see?" whispering to herself she looked around trying to focus her eyes.

Her attention was drawn to something in the moon light.

She looked ahead holding her breath. There was men across the bay, she looked back at her fire.

"Can they see me?" Her heart was pounding again, a new serge of adrenalin kicked in.

They were the north men. But they could not see her fire , she had made a stone wall around it that kept the light from drifting out to the waters edge. She was only a dozen or so yards away and she could barely notice it.

She stood in the cool night waters of the lake and turned back to the northmen on the shore across the bay.

The waters lapped her ankles but she stood as a stone watching the figures at work.

They were covering something with branches and up rooted bushes.

Ships.

They beached their ships. Merida wondered where they came from, they must have sailed at night and hid themselves.

How long had they been there?!

"I need t' get back …" the last of the Norsemen disappeared into the woods leaving their boats completely hidden.

From what she could tell they did not spot her, She and the sleeping giant were safe for now.

She had almost threw her back out dragging the Half awake Lord from the lake. As soon as she set him down past the tree line , and he fell in the moss under the trees ,she knew she would not be able to move him any further until he regained some strength.

They were safe tonight, Merida told herself letting herself breath again. She had been holding her breath. Merida stumbled from exhaustion remembering how tired she was.

Unnoticed to the half dressed woman the man by the fire woke up.

Confused and hung over he looked out onto the water before the fire. He was undressed but warm enough . There was a Fairy woman standing there her image reflected in the water. White gown, red hair.

He sighed , this was still a dream.

"banshee?..." he croaked blinking at her with soar eyes.

'Was this a dream of the wars yet to be fought?'

No, she was not washing any bloody cloths , as banshees did by the water.

She was a bit far off but his eyes began to focus. He saw a glowing blue orb in front of her… a wisp? Was she magic?

" -a selkie t'hen." he mumbled ,a water spirit who dances nude on the beach. It would explain why he was half naked, as he slowly began to realize , it must all be a dream.

He smiled.

"Aye-a-drim.(dream) "

" …selkie " He called out to her dreamily raising a hand out to her. And she turned her red hair looked as if it was on fire catching the light of the burning logs in front of him . The wisp disappeared.

"MacGuffin, we need t' go" She drew near him a smile washed over his face , he knew this woman, was it because she was from another dream he had?

He was sure of it . Blinking at her he reached up and touched her but she drew back . This did not usually happen in the dreams he had of her…

He blinked , he never felt her in dreams either , and her skin had felt cold. Cold? This was not a dream and he let out a start. She was real, and he was very exposed.

"AAUHGH!" MacGuffin scuttled back grabbing at his tartan now glowing bright red "whoot AV You Doon t' me wo'man?!" ( what have you done to me woman?)

She pounced on him with a hiss "SHUT UR GOB!" she growled as quiet as possible. She had her hands over his mouth, her eyes that of a wild animal.

" MacGuffin I did negh touch ya!" She was red with anger. " I dn't even look at ya!" He knew that face. The princess.

The princess was here and she had seen him naked! He was sure she did.

She took her hands from his mouth and stepped back, but ready to close his mouth manually need be if he let out another yell.

MacGuffin pulled the rest of his tartan from the fire side where it had been hung to dry off and started to pull the fabric over his body. He was caught between embarrassment and confusion.

And how did he get here any ways?! He had not a clue in his whole head what was going on and random gabber spilled from his mouth until he noticed something.

The woman in front of him was only in a night gown….

"wailly wailly wailly ("oh no" basically)…. b'y the gods prr'insess…" His jaw was loose, and lips parted and his eyes nearly fell out of his head .

And she noticed what he was staring at.

"Mac Lirs BEARD!" She crossed her arms and barked at him " get dressed will ya you big dafty!" he scrambled and she grabbed at her blue dress ( now finally dry) from the fire , and made it for the nearest tree to change. "You think that would be the last thing on y'r mind after Y' almost Became a Pin Cushion! "

She kicked out the fire as soon as they were decent. Merida had lost all of her arrows from the fall into the water but still had her bow. The two made there way back to the castle in a hurry.

Merida had not yet filled him in on what happened by the Grave up on the hill. She had more important things to think about. The attack on the castle would happen in a matter of days if not by sunrise. She only had a few hours of moonlight to get to the castle, and meet with the lords. there was surely no sleep to be had tonight.

'dam'd be those wisps, I was sure I was rid of them…'

The pair of warriors walked in silence , at a hurried pace.

"Aye don'negh remember whoot is gooin' on" MacGuffin said finally. They could see the castle through the trees now.

" I found ya. up by the graves.."

Merida spoke as sharp as a healer pulling a knife from a wound. She had no desire to recall the goings on of that night.

MacGuffin blinked hard trying to come up with some memory but he was coming up short.

Why was he up at the graves?

'da'…(dad), och, Aye it's st'arten t' come back t' me' He went there to speak to his dad. He remember he brought a large flask with him…he had done that once before. They found him a couple of days ago asleep by that stone.

Is that what happened tonight?

But that did not explain why the princess was there in the middle of the night, without an escort.

'T'he way this night w'as a-carry'in-on I would neigh be surprised if a kelpie cam'e froom the lock and bit me on me Arse' MacGuffin said to himself wearily, it was very early in the morning now.

"Och, Aye.." He nodded though he did not understand much.

"You wer half dead in ur skull when I found ya…" Merida barked back at him though she looked forward. She was still up in arms about something.

" whA' were-Ye' dooinup there?!" MacGuffin felt a surge of anger feeling attacked , she was the one who undressed him , and he felt vulnerable. Besides His ancestors grave was a very personal place.

" I went fur a ride-" Merida was quiet.

"Har har har !" he mock laughed at her.

"whoot a'-crrock-a-shite ,Haw, in-t' middle o t' night? Ar' ye' daft?" ( in the middle of the night? Are you dumb?!)

"OH AYE, 'I'M' the daft one? You almost got captured by northmen or worse ! If I negh hav' found yu we would have carried whoot was le'ft of you back in a cart after they cut you doon like a Yule time pig!"

That silenced the blond mountain.

"nurthmeen?" Greggor MacGuffin shook his head. Merida was right , if she was telling the truth that is. If there was norsemen he would have been no match drunk and alone with no weapons.

"I'll take a thank you ! If your so kind to give it " Merida said under her breath. "wait a tick…"

She looked up in horror at him.' He did not remember?'

"You slew a mans head clean in two…you do'neigh remember that?"

"I thou'gh tha' ways' a dr'eem" Truthfully he thought he was dreaming . MacGuffin was caught thinking about another dream of his ; of a redhaired selkie. He blushed violently looking forward.

"what kind of dreams do you have!?"

He felt his heart stop. could she Tell what he was thinking? He was in a lot of trouble now ; dreaming about a princess in an undressed state!

-but she continued on "I ne'er dreamed of hew'en men down! I don't think anyone in there right mind dose!"

He felt his cold sweat subsiding, it felt like treason remembering the sight of her in a white night gown.

" Oh AYE I-guess-it is'neagh common. JUISST-leave-it-a'h-dat!" He spat at her those last few words driving home the fact he did not want to remember that night either. That was too close of a shave then he liked. He tugged at his beard trying to get that image of His princess out of his mind and remember just what else happened that night.

They were in the pasture land around the castle now, everyone was well asleep by this hour.

"MacGuffin?" Merida called out wearily.

He was cooled down now. "Aye?- prr'incess"

" I did'negh ever catch yur' name…"

"M' Da' called me G'rrant." he said solemnly.

"another thing ,um, Grant"

Grant looked at her , she had also calmed down.

"If ye' tell anyone about me in me nighty, ill drag yu' down to the loc and drowned ya in the very spot I saved ya."

He could tell she did not mean those words, but he nodded yes.

" I w'ud n'verr think uf it y'u ken" (I would never think of it you know)

They made it to the castle the gates still open but centuries were posted.

The guards, though startled to see the two recognized them immediately. Merida sounded up to them a yell to get the guards attention.

"Wake the Lords and the Bear king!" Merida Roared. McGuffin, shocked at the way she gave instructions to men at arms , as if she was use to it. Was she use to it? He had not seen her in years and years. Who was the woman that stood beside him? So far that night she claimed to have saved him from the north men, and he thought that could not have been the truth until now.

He was studying her in a new light. Her face was serious and concentrated, she had no fear in her eyes that burned with a twinkling fire. Never in his life had he heard a woman with so much command.

'she had Important discussions with the lords to think about tonight rather then her being caught in the buff' thought the red haired bow-maiden. She rolled her fists into hard knots, war was coming to them.


	6. Chapter 6

Rabbie Dingwall stirred from his bed , the room was pitch black around him. It must have been a few hours before day break. Why was he awake? He blinked sleepily into the night , and to his window.

There was a noise outside, a shout from outside ? ' Who would be up at this time making an awful noise this early ?' His eyes shot open, wide awake now he searched for the oil torch he had hung up beside his bed. 'flint , I need flint.'

He searched some more franticly, there was more shouting outside. He managed to make a spark and his torch went up with a 'woof' of flame.

The young Lord ran to the window, he knew what had happened before he looked out. 'the princess was found'

But was she alive or dead? With her death all hope of the crown crumbled , he needed her. "Baws!" he growled, Rabbie could not see a damn thing out the window just people moving and lighting torches in the streets below him. The castle looked as if it was awakening as torches started to aluminate the night.

Something important had happened and he needed to find out what that was.

He ran to the doorway torch in hand. The light flooded in from the hallway the torches had been lit outside his door . But as soon as he put a foot out of the door he was nearly knocked over. Not once but three times. Three young men raced down the hall to the main steps that led to the great hall. They all wore their tartans and not a night tunic like Rabbie, their red hair aflame in the firelight.

It was the triplets of castle DunBrouch. In their race he could not tell one from the other and they vanished down the steps. Rabbie could feel his heart start to race and holding up his torch he was swept up with a stream of people rushing to the great hall. He found himself trotting along in front of the young lord Macintosh. The black haired Celt Ian only wore a tartan , seemingly born immune to the cold.

The majority of the castle, mostly the warriors of the castle, were trickling in .

In the center of the Lords was a flame , that was to say ; a woman with long unmanageable red hair.

The princess was alive and the Lords seemed concerned.

"Where did they find her?" Ian called out to himself.

"They say she came in by herself , and in the company of Lord MacGuffin." Ian looked mildly Distraught and worried.

Rabbie knitted his eyebrows but looked on with calm and contempt. But inside Rabbie was trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together but nothing fit.

The court was filing up with people now. Everyone was talking excitedly The dark green banners of Castle MacGuffin caught the shine of the many lit torches. Ian Macintosh was almost directly behind Rabbie Dingwall but he could spot the triplets standing next to the lords on the steps in front of them. Being princes' they had more right to be then then Ian did.

On the other side of the lords was the new Lord MacGuffin, he wispered to an older warrior from his clan.

" -They are on the far side of the loc"- Merida said firmly " I know they will attack soon, I don't want to press you My king-" she turned to her father. " -but we don-negh have much time …"

The triplets stood behind their sister. One was at peace with relief , one serious and concentrated, the last on had his hand on her shoulder as she talked.

Ian looked more confused by the minute "Who ar' they'?" Not getting his full rest did not make him any brighter.

Rabbie scoffed ,but before he answered-

"The Northmen ar' here!" shouted Lord Dingwall to the court in front of him by his chair in the great hall.

The king stepped forward. "All' chieftains t' follow m'e and go to t'e west roum. Warriors go to the smithie' and seek orders there when we send ya a captain of ou'r choosing, ever'one else stay away from the windas and back t' y'r beds with Ye!"

Ian fell under 'warrior ' so he rushed to the black smith shop in order to see if he had the privilege of leading his own men. A privilege that was given to him based on his ability to command, if there was one thing he did well other then throw tantrums, it was warfare.

Rabbie knew he would be heading there as well, but stayed back and watched his father up on the podium.

The triplets descended the stairs and joined the crowds of people dispersing, the hall now was filled with people excitedly talking.

Rabbie and Ian felt mutually a bit better knowing the princess came back safe. looking at her face; she was distant, and he could tell she had a long night. 'what had happened to her while I slept?' a man bumping into him broke his concentration , he needed to start to get to the battlements. Wee Dingwall turned to walk with the flow of the crowds and kept his thoughts to himself.

The room was filled with lions snapping and bellowing at each other.

"-if they donegh attack t'is morr'nin we need t' seend oot scouts" MacGuffin the youngest at the table stood behind what he thought was right.

"Hoow doo we ken sh'es tellin' the truth?" A lord with black hair slammed his fist on a table upsetting wooden figures set upon a large map. " How can the bAhsturds slither this far sooth? Pass our lands?!" The Celt felt dishonored that somehow the Northmen slipped passed the Celtic lookouts in the north. " We did'negh hear a Word from my clansmen!"

" Oh Aye we will hear froom them by the time they geet there third set of teeth!" Lord Dingwall crossed his arms as the Pict made a grab for him over the large table but thewhite haired Lord remained unmoved and defiant. MacGuffin stretched a large tree trunk of an arm between Lord Macintosh and Lord Dingwall. That put some distance between them but not enough.

A concerned warrior picked up the wooden pieces in a hurry as if they really were the scores of men they represented.

Most of the pieces on the map had been bumped over and rolled this way and that. Those wooden figures that still stood; now fell over for the largest of the men put his hands on the table shaking it and the floor as well.

"There will be no question'in my eldest born , she has been in her share of battles, to dismiss her word is to not take my wrath lightly." Dingwall rolled his eyes and threw up his arms in disgust. He continued directing his rage at the shoe brush of a man, for tonight Dingwall was more bristly then most nights. " We prepare for war-"

Merida stood in the background she had said her peace before the three lords. It was their turn to talk uninterrupted though she was shaking in anger. She could not stand much more of this and she caressed her bow with her thumb as it was held tight in her hand.

Lord Macintosh tuned his attention to Grant MacGuffin. "U were there, did ya' see em hidin the boats?" Grant stood as an oak , unmoveable and tall.  
"Aye-can'negh-tell y'e tha' Aye sawr em hid th'em bots like tha' Prin'cess had sed. Boot Aye can show ye' th' man who lays on me' da's grave, Aye hewed him doon meself. He is as nourse' as they com." The strain between the men made those near them hold their breath and brace for a fight. Grant had remembered the beginning of that evening on the ridge. He would bet his life on that they would find a body on that ridge tonight. King Dunbroch watched the young man, he was telling the truth. MacGuffin was far from the boy that presented himself at his court all those years ago.

" Aye swear O'n me bruthers liv's." His words sent chills through Merida.

Macintosh eyed him with steely blue eyes under knitted bushy black brows. Then scoffed at the young Lord, turning back to the Bear King. Macintosh shrugged as if to say -' Are we suppose to believe him?'

The mousy warrior started putting the figures back on the table map where they once stood , shifting his eyes nervously between the lords. A fist could fly at any moment.

King Dunbroch nodded and looked down at the map of that castle and the battlements , the bridge caught his eye.

And he pressed a large finger at it.

"This is where we will fight em. We will leave the doors open-"

"Haw-!" Dingwall puffed up.

"we don'negh know their numberrrs!" Dunbroch roared. " We will be figtin doon hill -"

"We w'll h'av the ad'vintage" MacGuffin did not move he was slightly more rested then the bow-woman that walked with him to his home and he was physically ready for what may come.

Merida drifted off on her feet for a second she felt her body sway.

Then she opened her eyes looking at the stones they stood on. A droning sound came from the window, from out on the lake.

"That should clear u'r doupts Macintosh" Lord Dunbroch growled. "dose it sadisfy' ye'?"

"Aye it dose , my King." Macintosh gripped his swords' handle, it was a northmans' bull horn. They were here.

Mist had formed thick as the sun started to ascend on the horizons but not over the steep hills. So it was unusually dark Merida noticed. She heard weeping, the horns had sounded before and it was familiar in the ears of the people who lived here. Last time it took the late lord to the lands of the forever young. Merida had a secret oath with herself, she would not let this lord fall.

Looking up at the Lord her body was failing her , but it would not fail him. MacGuffin was looking over the map with the other lords, and looked up for a second. The princess was using her bow to hold her up. She looked up at him through her long red curls, still damp from the fall off the cliff.

Grant looked back to the map but thought on more of what had happened that night. He was concerned for the bow-maidens condition.

They had escaped a short life , and he was alive now and able to fight, he would not waste it.

There was a rush for the doors the long boats started to appear on the lake.

Merida made for the door, MacGuffin trotted after her, he needed to be at the front line, but she looked as if she was coming with.

That was not right, no man would expect to live going to battle in the state she carried herself off in.

MacGuffin moved through the crowds of warriors. the side halls were deserted and relatively quiet.

The clanging of shields metal on metal. They started to sing war songs .

"Prr'inces,Noo jist haud on!" He touched her shoulder, she threw a hand up and shook it off of her, looking forward, walking onward.

" It's go'in to be like that ? Oh, Aye you go'n on like this Keep the heid! ( calm down)"

"you walk like a man who wants to stop me." she hardly noticed him as he walked with her." You know what I do to men who try to stop me? Aye stick em with one of these." she thumbed at the group of arrows on her hip.

"Put Me DOON!"

He picked her up by her upper-arms and walked her over to the side hall. The Lord pulled her into a recess in the stone hall way, it was private enough. He prayed to the gods no one saw him handle her that way, but she was as wild as an unbroken stallion. This was life and death, she was walking to her doom.

"u did ur purt to'day, u'donnegh have t' d' this. Ken?" She managed to get him here that was enough , she should not walk out into battle not able to even stand without stumbling. " -y'u ca'n negh ev'n walk!"

"I don't have to walk I have to shoot!"

"Enogh o that! Donnea be course w'th me," macGuffin pushed her into a room, he turned the crude metal handle so it was bent in place by his mighty grip. It was stuck shut. War drums sounded outside he needed to go. The fact he had to do this broke his heart a bit, it was wrong. But what was worse? Could he allow her to go and fight as she was? No, he hardly could live knowing his da' and his brother slept upon the hill over the lake. He remembered how he fought for her hand, she was too close to let go to the Norse men's blades.

Merida was furious and that moment he had doubts that the door will hold her. Emotion welled up in his throat and he pushed it back, he could not think the worst would happen. She pounded the door yelling all sorts of profanities . It slightly impressed him, her knowledge of those words was extensive.

" Ayem gonna T' come back fur ye', let yeself simmer a bt quinni" He hurried away, taking her silence as acceptance . But that was just positive thinking for Merida was already cutting the curtains and tapestries making a long enough rope to escape through the window.

MacGuffin made his way to the castle bridge. There was a depleted number of warriors, there only chance was to play off the Northmens' overconfidence. On the bridge they would stand a chance. The bagpipes started to play as the invaders approached. A druid stood at the head of the line of men facing them. He chanted strange prayers and the men shook with excitement. Especially the Picts, who were bare chested and covered with war paint. Ian was a different man and his face had changed ; he looked more animal then man , his band of men were small but they lived for war.

It was a strange thing to say but just looking at them you could tell they had a different demeanor then even the bravest warriors for the Dingwall clan.

MacGuffin reflected what his dad said about the Picts. ' they decorate their homes with the heads they take from a battle.' He wondered if this was true. MacGuffin was not dressed liked Ian Macintosh. That is to say he was in fact dressed some what. He wore his fathers leather breast plate, with metal rivets dimpling the armor . His younger brother dressed like him stood ready with a long sword. Garret was all that remained and was with him today.

Wee Dingwall had a fare sized band behind him. All blond and clad in light green tartans like their captain.

The castle gates were closed and the warriors filled the entire bridge, they waited.

The north men crawled out of their ships took up there shields and started singing. Their voices were low the song was in another language but it was frightening. There was a man in front of them. He was minimally dressed like the Picts he faced . His head bald and the Odem symbol carved into the flesh on his forehead, a long chain hung from a iron collar around his neck. He looked onwards to battle like the Picts did.

A berserker.

The northmen sounded a battle prayer.

The Bagpipes played on.

The clash began with the banging of shields, and low singing from the Norsemen.

'It is starting! Not withoot me!' Merida flew down the rope out the window that stood on the outward wall, but not one that faced the battle . The rope was short and she jumped the six feet down to the small grassy ledge around the castle and the lake under the cliff.

She strung her bow and notched an arrow. Like a dear she sprinted the small ledge, no one was looking at her when she rounded the castle and hopped over the bridge wall behind the line of clansmen all facing the apposing force. The sound of war was like stones hitting her skull, a migraine set in , her body was screaming at her to rest.

She climbed a stone structure getting her over head Hight of the warriors. Clear shot. "Heard th'm in laddies" she aimed.

MacGuffin caught a glimpse of red in the corner of his eye. He spun. It was Merida.

Hamish noticed the Lord looking back in confusion and fear. " You can'negh stop her, let her be." Hamish and his two other triplets had the same drive as Merida , it was not smart to stand in between the siblings of Dunbroch and what they desired. It was too late now, the army broke out in a run before them, running towards the bridge.

The apposing army was a hundred men. They themselves had a bit over 800 men but that meant nothing to the outcome of battle , not with the men from the north.

" Doooorrrrrsssss!" The Bear King stood at the helm of his army of clansmen. It was not to be taken lightly that now the clans stood together. They had a chance Fergus was ready, " Open the doors !"

The monstrous doors creaked open , doors big enough to hold a lake serpent.

"Archers ready!" The king lowered his sword , a string of archers loosed their readied bows. Merida hit the berserker who lead the charge in the chest. He did not even flinch. Merida shook as she notched another arrow.

"Retreat!" The Clansmen let out a yell and rushed into the opening of the doors into the castle. The bridge was emptied from one side and then filled from the other with Norsemen. They cheered as they raced forward.

'They will not be cheering in a moment.' Rabbie reflected calmly ,

"Wee Dingwall-" He looked up unmoved by the events ahead of him, looking towards Lord Dingwall behind him.

His dad nodded at him , and Rabbie let out a Blood chilling yell with his clansmen in light green. The Clan Dingwall as well as the Picts were the first to meet the Norsemen at their side of the bridge. The Norse men fell into the trap, the clansmen fought with great advantage.

The clash of metal was a sickening one Merida heard bones break and death throws as men were pushed off the bridge and onto the surf and jagged rocks below. The arches picked away at the Norsemen on the far side of the bridge but Merida liked cutting it close, and she had her oath.

The men from the north had long beards in intricate braids. Their long hair was left neatly combed. They also had tattoos but they had been done with black pitch. In contrast to the blue swirls on the Picts flesh ; their tattoos had been angular, black, and pictographic.

Grant MacGuffin swung his warhammer like he was taking down trees with an ax. Men crumpled at its blows , broken bones in a skin bag. He roared behind his metal mask. Merida was releasing arrow after arrow , was her brothers watch dog. Warriors too great in size would be reduced to more manageable numbers in front of her brothers by a rapid fire of arrows.

A few times MacGuffin would raise his hammer and the man would fall before he could give him a mortal wound.

"th'ah ruda haired devil." Grant gritted his teeth looking at the arrows that were piercing the men at his feet, and slung his weapon faster , 'she will'negh tak me kills frum me!"

The Norsemen fought with un-human strength , and they were not without casualties. The clans man were doing better then they had hopped and with every fell of a northern man they grew in morale. Merida was one of the few woman in the fray. Somehow this gave the men courage having the entire royal family fighting ; leading the charges.

Merida was very exposed for an archer, as she chose to fight up and centre, and the inevitable happened. She felt a rip like that of a boar tearing her arm almost clean off the bone. She called out in pain gripping her upper arm. A Norseman had shot her and was smiling that he hit his target.

"Oh Aye see ya!" she loosed an arrow so quickly the man fell off the bridge; his face still grinning ear to ear. He went limp with an arrow in his eye. And she smiled through the pain.

MacGuffin was impressing her as Macintosh was. Macintosh wheeled his long sword with two hands no thought of a shield. It was getting hard to shoot the Norsemen as they drew a shield wall up on the bridge.

the Berserker was still forefront on the bridge , many arrows pierced his body but he fought as if he never had any wounds at all. the Norseman with the rune carved into his head raised his ax.

Hamish Dunbroch was in front of him, Merida's world stopped. 'no'

Hamish was a fare enough warrior but this was a very uneven fight as the man stood as tall as their father.

As the ax came down Hamish blocked it with his long sword , and it snapped in two. With no shield Hamish had little hope and Ian Macintosh grabbed the boy by his belt with one hand pulling him away from the crazed monster.

Merida loosed an arrow, no use. The man did not feel it!

Grant stepped where Hamish use to be and deflected another ax swing with the iron hammer casing some sparks.

The monster of a man drew upwards with his double headed ax into the Scotsman and the flank of his thigh. MacGuffin flinched but retaliated. Blood streamed down his leg.

He collided with the mans bare chest, Grant had visibly cracked his ribs. But the mountain moved forward . He was looking past MacGuffin , at Merida. She stood 50 yards from the bridge on a piece of stone.

the Norseman took McGuffin almost off his feet with a wild swing from his shield and stepped towards the red headed archer.

MacGuffin stepped forward again blocking the man who felt no pain,

'the only way t' stoop hum is t' bleed em'' MacGuffin thought. Grant swung his hammer again this time he turned it so he swung it with the ax blade side . He aimed not at the man but at the arrows in his back. The arrows shafts all splintered as the Norseman tried to step away. The blood pored down his back and the berserkers skin turned pale.

Grant turned he had the mans back he looked in front of his, the red haired lass loosed more arrows to the man coming directly for her. She was shaking.

'Gods I tulled h'r t' dun'negh coom!' Grant made a large swing with the hammer ,that had a ax face on one side , it was held high above his head and he threw it down with such force it went through the mans collarbone in the left side of the man. The northmans sword arm was useless. But as Grant tried to pull it from the wound , the man made a backhand swing at the young Lord with the shield , it clean knocked his helmet off. The ringing in his ears and the pain made it hard to even keep his eyes open. He fell to one knee, stumbling up to chase after the one armed giant.

Merida was shaking and her arrow was barely strait. Her head pounded like the war drums and her arm shook as she felt the blood spilling out of the wound. Merida loosed the arrow , it hit her mark, but it did not deter the Crazed Norsemen. He stood in front of her charging forward. She was out of arrows, dizzy and exhausted. She stood over the bodies of dead men .

This was it. She fell to her knees as the shield hit her.

She was a warrior and she would die as such, Merida had done her duty and her penance served. The battle had only lasted an hour, but the Norsemen now 20 or so warriors ran from battle. Merida had with every arrow she could; slew a wave of men that stood to cut the lord MacGuffin down. Now he would live, and she felt at peace as the shield came down upon her left arm and cheek. It cracked the bone in her arm, the shattering of her bone and the combined blow to her head made her fall . Her eyes would not open again today.

MacGuffin was too late. He saw the red haired bow maiden fall. The Norseman drew his shield again.


	7. Chapter 7

Macguffin was in a black rage.

Almost slipping on the blood that ran down his leg he pushed himself up at the large Norseman; before he could strike a mortal blow to Merida. Grant grabbed at the handle of his war hammer still lodged in the man and pulled him backwards.

It made the Noreman miss his mark. He swayed. The blood loss was affecting the berserker, Hamish ,held a pike, and with it he drove it into the man above his sister. Ian Macintosh looked back and Saw the giant on his last leg, he was over the Red Haired bow maiden. Ian wound his long sword up and in a few large steps he was just close enough behind the Norseman to connect with his claymore. Swinging his sword he nearly took the mans leg clean of. The man finally fell to the ground, and the three red haired warriors sprung on him.

MacGuffin stumbled forward and picked up the maiden her dress was black with blood. Her hair stuck to her skin and dress with the grime from battle. As he picked her up he noticed the blood streaming from her arm , her heart was still pumping in there but she needed a healer. He started forward to the castle the sounds of victory numbed him.

Merida seemed at peace but looking at her open arm. She would be dead soon

The Northman were slewn and their boats burned , and the flames were tall as they devowered the wood.

People cheered around him but he was cold.

"leave her' to me. " Ian Macintosh was covered in mud and blood. His long sword sheathed on his back again. His black hair covered one half of his face and he looked eye to eye with Grant MacGuffin. His arms outstretched to the man in the dark green kilt. A wave of protective feelings made Grant hold onto Merida a little closer. She had found him by the graves, pulled him from the lake, and dried him by a fire. Her little body did so much for him, who was Young Macintosh to demand the Princess from him?

"out' oh' me way y'ah wee scunner(annoyance)" MacGuffin growled, a wiser man would have backed away. He swayed a bit , the blood running down his leg from where the Norseman cut into his thigh.

" Lady MacGuffin and Bridgett is waiting for ya ,an looks like you need to go to the healer as well." Rabbie walked over nursing a wound in his side. Grant was struck cold. The past 12 hours or so he did not think once about that name. hearing it from a rival clansman stuck him cold in his tracks. He felt guilt wash over him, all the time he spent with Merida , it was like she never existed. In his daze Ian took Merida from his arms and briskly started for the Healer.

MacGuffin without warning fell as his legs gave out beneath him. Wee Dingwall walked forward following Ian leaving MacGuffin behind. Rabbie looked content, Ian was no match for him , Grant was the only threat now. Or 'Was'. Rabbie had a spear wound in his side, not deep but long he would need to be sewn up. He could be healed in due time but what he had planed for Grant; Wee Dingwall looked like that cat that caught the bird , MacGuffin would never be able to hold Merida again.

A fellow MacGuffin clansman quickly held his Young Lord up, putting Grant's arm over his shoulders. He was lifted to make walking easier, stumbling to the healer, all he remembered was the cheering and ascending the steps. In front of him he caught glimpses of Merida in Ian's arms. Then he fell as the adrenaline and the lack of blood made him weak. Then there was darkness.

* * *

MacGuffin was by the graves again. The wind blew in strong from the lake the gravestones over looked. Grant looked upon the graves.

Lord MacGuffin, the elder, was there.

"Da'…" Grant looked his dad in the eye.

"Be happy while you're living, For you're a long time dead … Ar' ye happy Laddie?" Lord MacGuffin looked down upon Grant.

There was silence grant looked forward in confusion.

"woot d' ya' meen by th'ah da?" He turned back to look at his dad, but he was gone. His eyes searched around in panic. He looked left , where his dad once was, he had disappeared. But there was a woman in a white dress. she was standing by a grave. Her hood was up and she beckoned to him. He ran over to her taking her hand , with her other hand she drew away the hood.

"Merida-"  
"Who is Merida?" Bridget stood in front of him. She had long black hair and brown eyes.

He looked around ,where there had been nothing behind him now stood a maiden in blue in the company of wisps. He had only saw them once before, with the princess of Dunbroch. There she stood now , bow in hand being lit by the wisps blue flames in the night.

Grant turned back to Bridget still holding his hand , his dad behind her. He felt like he wanted to cry, or hide. What was it that his dad said? 'you're a long time dead so be happy now.'

"Are ye nea happy with me ?" Bridget started to cry. His dad, Lord MacGuffin looked upset behind her.

"No, ! Tha' is t' say, Aye, Aye'm happy, I promise." Grant took her hand with both of his ,pleading. His father had blessed their union, his father was proud he found himself a girl who would love him to piece's. She was perfect for him his dad said. Stays at home , perfect house wife, cooks fantastic and a beauty no less.

MacGuffin Heard the call of the wisps. And he turned once again.

The several wisps that stood by Merida started to vanish with a lonely moan. Merida backed away from him.

Three wisps left. She was backing towards the cliffs edge her eyes still on MacGuffin.

"No" MacGuffin shook his head.' she couldn't-'

"Good bye MacGuffin." Merida stood on the edge of the cliff and it gave way under her. The last wisp disappeared ,She fell.

Grant took a leap forward, then stood dead in his tracks, he released Bridget from his grip to go to the cliff edge. He felt hesitation, then sprinted for the edge. Not caring what his betrothed thought. Merida was there caught in some tree roots and she looked up at him. She was more then 4 feet down the cliff another 40 feet under her was the water.

"Hold m' H'nd!" Stretching out he tried to grab her but she would not reach out to him.

"Let her go!" Bridget was behind him, she was crying but her voice was angry.

"Merida Grab m' H'nd!" Grant reached out again.

He could feel his father behind him .

"Delays are dangerous, an seldom lies the dell dead by the dyke side. Figure it oot boy"

(time is precious, you are not to expect that difficulties and dangers will vanish without any effort on your own)

He could feel more people gather. They were whispering behind him but he looked on to Merida. Who still refused him her hand.

The crowd was getting angry when they found what he was doing.

" OCK! Why would she want ya' when you ha'v the want of-

"-another!, the Boggin thah you arrre-"

"-isnnea deservin of her hand. Don't give it to em' Merida"

The triplets spoke behind him he was more disheartened by the minute.

Then she reached up and grabbed his hand , Grant smiled in relief. But then she spoke .

" let me go MacGuffin , I donnea need you MacGuffin…" and Merida let go.

She fell down to the waters below.

* * *

Merida woke up in one of the sick rooms. Where was she?

White linens were everywhere and in her daze she believed she was in Tir Na Nog.

She smiled, the cool fall wind was pleasantly washing over her sun warmed body.

She sleepily looked around her vision still a blur of golden rays and white linens around her.

Merida looked over her shoulder many beds lined both sides of the walls and slowly soft voices of content and happy conversations reached her ears. Her vision slowly focused. No , she was alive. She smelled cedar and sage burning and by her bed side table the smoke from incense danced upwards.

Blinking she slowly did a body check, she wiggled her toes. They were fine. Then her right arm, that was fine too.

When she got to her left arm she could hardly move her fingers without pain. 'Oh right, the arrow.' she tried to move her elbow, but it would not move. The whole thing was in a cast. ' The Norse man -' she remember the shield fracturing her arm, but that's not all it hit. She raised her good arm out of the covers, and touched her cheek , there was two stitches . "Mums' going to have a fit."

Merida pulled herself up out of bed. She was wearing a typical gown that was sewn just for the people in the healers care. It was very large on her as the people of castle MacGuffin were tall. She found a long piece of linen used for bandages but she could not walk around tripping on the hem of her dress , so she took it and wrapped it a few times around her waist. Not the dress had folds in the back and was less likely to trip her.

She had been wrong. The golden sunrays were just the glow from the candles, it was nighttime. How long had she been out.

People were asleep around her. She looked at her bed, there lay a long sword and an empty chair. The sword was that of Ian Macintosh. What had happened? Merida touched her curls , someone had washed her hair but it was still greasy , she needed a bath or at least a basin of water and a bar of soap. That brought her to think about the stitches on her face. "Oh, crivins." She whispered. 'I need a mirror too'.

Merida walked around the halls of beds some had curtains or wooden frames around them for privacy. Mostly she heard people sleeping but behind one curtain she heard moaning. 'A Foul dream, poor laddie…' she was about to take another step when she heard her… it came from behind that curtain .

'take m' hand.' it whispered. Her curiosity would always lead her. It pulled her to find out who would call her name in the middle of the night.

'Hello?" she answered back.

"Take m'hand…"

That voice was familiar, she looked around , no healers walked freely they were all busy. She held her casted arm and stepped forward towards the slit in the curtain.

It was MacGuffin. She wrinkled her nose at the thought of him calling her name in the night.

"Da' wha' d' y' meen?' He looked distraught in his sleep, her heart broke, he was dreaming about his dad.

'He could not be dreamin of me.' She was mistaken, and she turned to go , but she saw a mirror by his bed.

'He wouldnea mind me takin a peek-' she thought. ' -he dose not need it while he is sleepin'

So Merida licked the sore part of her bruised lip and taking a last look around slipped into the curtain.

She tiptoed to the bed side trying to be as quiet as possible.

She reached out for the mirror slowly her eyes darting towards the sleeping Lord. And in a flash she grabbed it. Lifting it to her face she was upset at what she saw. Her lip was swollen, and she had a small cut on her cheek that had two stitches in it, the whole thing was covered in honey and she could tell that while she was asleep they had put some leaches on her flesh around the cut.

"Och…" Merida prayed to the gods it would heal in time before she retuned to Castle Dunbroch. She went to return the mirror -

A hand grabbed her Wrist and she stifled a scream.

In his sleep MacGuffin Reached out and grabbed her, the mirror dropped to the ground and shattered.

"MacGuffin let me go." she hissed trying to release his grip with her good hand. She was almost in tears, he held the wrist of the hand that was in a cast. No use he was too strong, 'I have to wake him up before he tares my arm off!'

"MacGuffin let go!" Merida shook his arm. His anger subsided and he started to weep.  
"shhhhh shhh its alright wee lamb…." she raised her hand to the loose hair at the top of his forehead.

"I need t-" he mumbled.

"You're a strong man , you donnea even need me, -or anyone else " she whispered, he loosened his grip. And opened his eyes. Merida held her casted arm away from him, and looked down at the wakening lord. He looked at her with great sadness. 'Was he sad because he blamed me for his dads death? I would if I was him." It was time for Merida to go, and she turned to leave.

There she stumbled into a woman carrying a basin of water. The woman was taller then her and much more beautiful with long, long black hair and brown eyes.

"EXCUSE me!- oh-" The black haired woman stopped in her tracks when she realized who she was talking down to.

"The fault is mine. " Merida looked away. "ill be going now."

"Yes my Princess ." The young woman took a step out of the way and made a curtsy , but was obviously angry about something.

Merida strode back towards her bed. She felt sick.

MacGuffin woke up just to see Merida leave and Bridgett enter the curtain around his sick bed. His injuries did not hurt him as much as his dream had. The woman who entered was angry like she was in the dream and placed the basin of water roughly by his bed side.

"That was Princess Drunbrouch. " She stated as if he was oblivious to who she was.

"Oh?" Grant was still groggy and saddened by the dream. His heart felt like it was bleeding in his chest. Merida must have met Bridget, she must have known who Bridget was, his betrothed. Why did he feel pain? Sleepily he answered the black haired maiden with her hands on her hips. "Aye, I bel'iv so."

Bridget somehow did not like that answer.

"And?"

"Bridgit m' leg wa's almust in tue, ples." He begged her not to start anything. In the dream he lost Merida Anyways, what did she have to worry about? He was muddling on the loss. The bad dream it was hard on him.

"Fine." Bridget turned away leaving him be. The curtains flew open as she left in a hurry.

Grant let out a sigh and turned back to sleep, the stitching in his leg felt tight and swollen. He had lost Merida to a better man anyhow. Ian was being hailed a hero ; he had saved the princess singlehandedly!

Grant groaned. He knew Macintosh was 'up and down the mountain' in love with the red headed lass, but Ian did not know anything about her. How strong she was , caring , fearless.

The dream came back to him. 'She would'nea be hauppy whit me.' competing with Ian would make any man give up. Grant reflected. But still, why had she come to his bed side?

* * *

Back in her own bed Merida hid under the covers. Her cast made it hard to lay on her side and her hand stuck out of the covers. Her fingers all that was visible of the drifting off princess. She was almost asleep when she felt someone hold her hand.

She threw back her covers. It was late and she was having none of this , especially when it was getting in-between her sleep. There at the other end of her arm was the large hand that belonged to Ian Macintosh.

He could have been burned from the flames in her eyes and yet he smiled happily.

" I'm Glad your awake Princess." the man said lovingly down to her.

"Oh Aye I am awake …now." Unable to pull away from his hand due to the pain in her arm she watched him like horse watches a deer. That is to say with mistrust and anger. " Wait , how long have you been here?"

"Well I went away for a moment but-"

"How long Macintosh." 'It was to late for this.' Merida glared at the black haired Pict. He had ,Sometime this night went to have a bath, and was clean and brushed.

"Since I carried you up here." Any other woman in the castle would have swooned. Merida on the other hand would have put a dirk through the smug mans hand. 'if I only hand one handy' He was still a young lord so threats could not be made out in the open , just yet any way.

"Glad for the help now im off to-" 'bed' she was going to say but Ian interrupted. Nothing did Merida hate more then being interrupted, it belittled her.

"I Just wanted to tell you-" He gripped her hand tighter. she almost punched him with the other hand, stopping a scream of pain by biting her lip. Ian went on . " I was overcome with concern for you." Merida was having a hard time believing Young Macintosh, as he was oblivious to the pain she was under. Unseen to Merida and Ian , a woman with long black hair approached.

Bridget's heart stopped. There in front of her was THE young lord Macintosh. She sighed and blushed , not wanting to be caught staring she hid herself behind a pillar of stone. Bridget peeked past the stone at the handsome young man , he sat next to a bed. The man had shining black hair like her own and stunning blue eyes. The Young Lord had many blue tattoos over his bare chest. The sight of his bare chest made her a bit weak. 'He is talking to someone.' She held her breath listening in on his words.

"It was amazing. The way you shot two days ago-" Ian looked dreamily at Merida.

"I have been asleep for almost two days?" Merida was shocked 'I had not slept the night before the battle' She calmed down a bit and she felt less worried now.' It made sense , but how where were her brothers ? How was her dad?'

"Oh Aye, I have been here watchin over-" Ian held fast on her injured arm with both of his hands.

"UM. MACINTOSH " Merida hissed . Ian looked down at her hand and saw the cast slip out from under the covers and he let go in a hurry.

"OH I'm sorry! Ian Stood up and almost knocked a wash dish over.

'He's going to wake all the sick folk' Merida sat up in bed and grabbed his wrist with her good hand.

"Macintosh please." She meant to quiet him down trying not to disturb the sleeping and the ailing . But by the red blush that filled his face made her grit her teeth.

Bridget was in shock and sick with sudden heart break. There, grabbing Macintosh's arm, was the only red haired woman she knew. It was the Princess. Tears welled up and she discreetly rushed from the long room of beds.

"My Princess, " He took a knee, and with a shake of his head flicked his bangs out of the way of his icy eyes. Yes, he was a handsome man, but his self-absorbed behaviour made him unbearable to Merida. " Call me Ian, please." he said in a whisper, Ian wanted more then anything to hold her cheek or her hair. Like he had brushed her hair away from her sleeping face just hours ago. 'Gods she was beautiful, and brave, talented, and-' The list went on and on , all things that Ian believed he also possessed. She mirrored him and that's why she was perfect. He was deserving of her as she was deserving of the most handsome of the clansmen any woman had seen.

"Ian how are my brothers?" She changed the subject. He smiled and came closer to her making her want to squirm away.

"My princess , they were here the other day , a few cuts and one of them the smallest one-"

"Harris" she looked pale with concern.

"Aye he has a broken or bruised rib, nothing to worry about." He tiled his head in affection. She was so caring, and he had her all to himself. "Don't worry your bonnie head, my Princess."

"Merida" It felt like curdled milk in her stomach every time Ian called her 'princess'. And now 'bonnie?!' He was asking for a blackened eye.

"What is that?"

"Ian ,you can call me Merida. Its my name." Her anger subsided and she just wanted to cry and go to sleep. This was frustrating and she wished to be left alone.

Ian on the other hand was trying to still his beating heart. The butterflies in his stomach would not be quieted and he sighed.

"M-Merida," Her name was like honey, it sounded almost as nice as when she said his name.

" I'm goin' to sleep now." She released him and went for the candle at the bed side to blow it out.  
"Prin-, my bonnie Merida." She had it in her right mind to throw the candle at him but she stopped herself.

' I AM NOBODYS BONNIE ANYTHING' She was trying to take some long breaths to calm her nerves.

"Yes, Ian Macintosh?" Merida managed to say that without cursing.

"Can I stay?" She looked back at the young lord , like a farm wife looks at a barn cat mewing to be let inside from a storm.' He had stayed with her all this time, ugh, don't do it Merida'. She pleaded with herself.

"Fine." she managed to squeak. It felt like he had twisted her arm. " but don't touch me again, I might clout you on the heid and it willnea be my fault."

She was serious.

"Oh Aye, no touching your soft hair-" She glared at him , 'What did he say? Soft?!' He swallowed hard and continued. "I understand, I shall not put m' hands on you." Merida eyed him suspiciously then blew out the candle leaving Young Lord Macintosh in the chair by her bed. She closed her eyes. For a long while she was quiet, she had been rude, and she was not really a mean person. She felt guilty for her course nature.

"Ian," she whispered half hoping he was asleep already.

"Aye , Merida?" Answered a sleepy Pict.

"Good night Lord Macintosh." then she closed her eyes.

"Och, an good night to you as well." Merida managed to get herself a somewhat peaceful sleep.

* * *

Bridget was weeping in a hallway.

Then she was joined by someone walking down the hall. A shorter man then herself with white hair and a unamused look. She wiped at her tears and started off in the opposite direction of the man from clan Dingwall.

She was heartbroken, they had said to her that Ian was loveless. Therefore up for grabs, single, and readily able to whisk her away. At least not until she saw him holding the hand of The princess.

'She was using her title against her' Bridget though twisting her handkerchief into a tight rope. ' it was not fare that she was bribing the Young innocent lord with a crown.' Yes castle MacGuffin was nice enough , but everyone knew the Macintosh clan was much wealthier. Why cant she have love and money too? 'Don't I deserved happiness?'

She broke out into a sob again.

Rabbie Dingwall was about to pass her. But stopped a few stepps behind her.

"What is wrong quinne?" Rabbie smiled unseen to Bridget. He knew all about her. The last couple of days he had visited the kitchens and was able to learn all he needed from the gossipy kitchen maids. ' she must be coming from the sick beds, where Ian had been standing watch over Merida like Cu' Chulainn. It disgusted him a little.

But this, well , it pleased him greatly.

"Macintosh is not really in love with her.." Rabbie said softly.

"With who?" Bridget swung around on her heals.

"With the princess."  
"oh. w-Well-that-is non of my concern."  
He stopped a chuckle , she did not look 'unconcerned'.

"Oh He is inlove with another." Dingwall continued nonchalantly.

"oh?" Bridget was wringing her handkerchief hard again. 'If it was a maid from this castle she would strangle her.'

"care to walk with me?" He smiled at her, lifting his elbow for her to take it. "I will walk you back to your chamber my lady."

Bridget nodded , gently she took his arm. Rabbie was a spider and the lady Bridget his fly. Little did she know she was already stuck in the webs he spun.


	8. Chapter 8

Rabie had walked away happily, it was almost midnight. It took him 15 minutes or so to take the lady Bridget back to her chambers. He had filled her pretty but empty head with his little lies. Rabbie had planted seeds in that mind, they would sprout all on their made it back to his room and went for the door handle.

"Had yourself a sport of a night?" He grew cold. Harris stood leaning against a wall , arms crossed , smiling.

Wee Dingwall scoffed at the Prince and opened the door to his room, but Harris slipped in behind him.

Rabbie struck a flint near a torch fastened to the wall. It sprung up in flame and the room was lit.

Harris sat in the large chair in the middle of the room. Rabbie stumbled when he turned around, there behind Harris was Hubert and Hamish. 'WeeDevils' that's what their family called them.

"We ar' herr t' have a bit-o-ah-chat." -Hamish

"some people talk- "-Hubert

"-Like the maids that work in the kitchens."-Harris

"It made us a bit curious"-Hubert

"you claim to anyone that would hear ya, that y' love oor sister…"-Hamish

"Why is it you spent so much time in the kitchens with the maids-"-Harris

"-an' lady Bridget -"-Hubert

"It was lucky y' dident take anyone of those Kittens bac' he'r" Hamish had a small smile, as he held the handle of a long dagger at his waist.

Rabbie was extremely worried , he could not control his hand shaking as he lit a candle with the torch. But his control was regained in a moment and he faced the three young men with a stone face.

But Harris was smiling now too , he had seen his small loss of nerve. That was all he needed to tell him Rabbie was up to something.

"Are you going to stay all nigh't ? I am goin' to bed."

"Oh Aye guess t' wee Bairn (baby) needs't' take a nap." Hubert the tallest of the three tilted his head. Then the men got up, and slowly moved out the door to leave Rabbie alone.

Rabbie shut the door and let out a sigh.

"Good night Wee Dingwall!" one of the triplets yelled out from the other side of the door. They knew he hated that.

Harris was halfway to the triplets room.

"You think he's really up to something." Hubert yawned opening up the door.

"oh Aye, I have heard enough about Rabbie, he's a bit like me." Harris strolled in and fell upon the over stuffed bed. The candles were still lit, and illuminated the room.

"Och Aye if you were a snake and rollin in ur' own filth." Hamish sneered and Hubert chuckled.

" we just had to mention the maids in th' kitchn,an he nearrly soild his socks . I think he's playin a bit of chess with oh'ur sister." Harris threw off his jacket. The door was closed and locked.

"how can y' tell?" Hubert landed down in a chair and began to take off his shoes.  
"Wee Dingwall spent a fare amount of time chewin the ear off the lady Bridget. With no Romanic interest in her. We also know Ian is th' one who is spending time with Merida th' most." Harris lay on his back, legs crossed and looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. He loved chess, and this was a game to him as much as it was to Rabbie.

"an' he saved the princess! " Hubert; overexaggerating, made a loud womanly gasp and pretended to faint on Hamish . Hamish in-turn pushed his brother off of him , throwing one of his shoes lightly at a laughing Hubert.

"He Underestimated us, but now he will be a bit mooor… sneaky " Harris sighed.

"-Just like a snake" Hamish barked.

"Well you ken whoot we do to snakes-" Hubert picked up the thrown shoe and threw it back to Hamish

"Aye" Hamish swatted at the shoe laughing at his brother. Hamish smiled and licked his fingers and snuffed out the candle next to him, pinching the flame .

"night' boys." they said all together in the darkness.

* * *

Merida got up quietly, it was still early in the morning. Ian was asleep in front of her, it was day break. She had a cast but maybe she could go to a smithy and get something fixed…she needed to practice shooting the cast would have to be worked around.

She was still in her long sick-gown and slipping quietly from the 'sleeping babe'. Quietly she was sneaking out of the healers room but unfortunately she was being followed. So she hid behind one of the curtains and waited for the footsteps to get closer.

"AH HA!" she jumped out of the curtain at the owner of the foot steps.

Two kids jumped back in horror an grabbed each other letting out twin screams.

"Crivins! Shhh shhh shhhhh!" she looked up across the room , thankfully Ian was a heavy sleeper.

"whoot are you doin?!" she addressed the two small kids in front of her. The first one was a boy : he had jet black hair and his arm was wrapped in a cast too. The other was a small blond girl, she was missing two fingers on her right hand, but it was fully wrapped up.

"why are yu' runnin away princess?" the small blond girl answered.

" I'm not runnin' away , I'll be back." This was the second time this week she promised not to run away.

"Oh Aye?" The black haired boy about 7 years old eyed her . Merida Sighed. Ian moved in his sleep and Merida caught his movement from the other side of the room.'baws' she needed to escape.

"So would you like to go on a bit o' a trip t' the smithie?" Merida bent down and got one eye level with the two."whut ar' your names? I'm Merida." More then a little bit of her missed her brothers being that age.

"He is Frasier and I'm Asling" The little girl smiled with a smile missing one tooth. 'Gods , she was too cute!' Merida never had a little sister and she stood up and held out both of her hands for the two kids to take.

"Comon we will be back ina' shake of a lambs' tail"

Frasier and Asling walked hand in hand with Merida to the smith's shop.

" Aye need a … Um well …" Merida paced back and forth in front of a very confused blacksmith.

"A-A thing." The black smith squinted at her in confusion, Frasier was straining picking up an unfinished iron sword and Asling giggled at him.

" the problem is this!" Merida pointed to the cast. "I cannea draw me bow!"

The smithies picked up a pare of hot iron scissors.

"NO NO NO" she waved at his idea, and he put the scissors down.

"I need something to fit on me bow so I can draw it…I need to practice."

The smith smiled and took out a measuring string, taking her arm lengths and her bow.

Frasier was given a wooden dirk and shield and Asling a small twig bow with arrows. They began to wrestle and shoot arrows at each other and at Merida. Sometimes she would chase them growling as a bear or run away from the small warriors. It had been such a long time since her and her brothers played as such and her heart was bursting from the laughter.

* * *

Merida had a beautiful morning with the 'little wee ones' as she lovingly called the pair.

The smithie had promised something for Merida to fix on her bow , and it should be ready for tomorrow.

By the time they got back it was not even breakfast time. Merida carried the two in her arms and tiptoed into the sick hall. She would be allowed to leave tomorrow but she was going to miss the little ones.

She placed Frasier on one bed and Asling on the other.

"Hurry an' hide beasties!" Merida whispered cheerfully.

They giggled uncontrollably. Trying to be quiet they dug under there covers. Merida tickled them through the covers giggling herself. She looked up, down the hallway a healer was entering with a large tray. Time to go.

Behind her a neighbour pulled a curtain away with a wooden crutch.

"I'll see you soon my wee bairns." Merida got up and moved over to her own bed half way down the hall of beds. She got to the chair with the Sleeping Pict, getting into the bed , as he snored away. She was wide awake now and wanted some company , so she stuck her foot out of the covers and gave Ian's chair a swift kick.

"MH!" Ian was drooling on his chest and a long string of saliva bridged from his for-arms and his bottom lip. He blinked awake as he was greeted with a beautiful sound. Meridas giggle.

He smiled up at her unaware of the string he had hanging from his mouth. This only made her giggle more

"G'mornin Ian" Merida was in a fantastic mood.

"I didnea miss bre'kfest did Aye?" Ian Macintosh dragged his large hand down his face and woke himself up a bit. But also it cleaned the drool from his face.

Two bowls of Porrage with fall berries were placed in front of them. Today merida felt refreshed, they had a victory over the norsemen and there was hot food for her belly. She sat cross legged listening to youn macintosh , about the battle .

It was a good thing Ian like to tell stories because she was in the mood for stories.

"we burned their ships! They wont be back for a lang time."

"there has to be a way of making us afraid of them."

"mur' battles Aye suppose"

"no, something has to happen where they are too afraid to come back for a long long time."

Little did the two warriors know that lord Macintosh was thinking the same thing.

* * *

Late last night Lord Macintosh sailed out with three of their best warriors alone. They dressed in their best war paint.

The men traveled for hours before they beached the ship.

With them they carried a man in bonds and a sack over his head.

They started to travel inland , a white wolf watched them from afar before disappearing into the woods. The Macintosh warriors were in the no-mans land but there was a trail that they followed. The wilds around them grew thicker and thicker, all bird life was non-existent and there were no more dear trails. With all this thick underbrush you would think the deer would be plentiful here. But they were too scared, and too smart to venture this far into the dark wood.

It was midnight now. And in front of the men stood a stone alter in a clearing.

No grass grew here, it was all burned ground, but no fire had touched this place in years .

"Bring th' man" Macintosh motioned to the bound man with a sack over his head. The four men from clan Macintosh entered the clearing as if they were being hunted. They were right , something was watching them, something that lived off of human flesh. The clans men were smart enough to know how to treat this situation. They had been here before. They entered the Massive stone circle, swords drawn. They quietly approached the stone alter. The stone alter stood in front of a cave closed off by a wheel like bolder and flanked by two gigantic stone pillars. Each pillar was carved with a bearded man with his hands crossed over his chest and eyes closed.

"Tie 'hm up." Macintosh stood facing the closed off cave , alter between him and the closed opening. He would not take his eyes off it ,and for good reason, they could feel something so large move beneath them, that it shook the ground. "Hi's-awake." the man in the bag was tied at his feet and by his hands , so tight were his bonds that they could have been plucked to make noise. The bag was removed. The man was Norse. They had secretly kept one of them alive ,for this exact propose.

"har du brakte meg til Ovin." ( Have you brought me to Odin? ) the Norse man looked at the cave in front of him.

"No, ye'r black goods ar' nea here." Innis said solemnly " Boot' I'm sure this one will due. Roll th' stone." Lord Macintosh shifted his weight side to side pointing his sword at the cave.

The stone was rolled away by two men, it was on a track so whatever was in the cave could never get out.

They looked into the darkness.

"er det helvete" the norseman scoffed . ( is that hell?)

The Pict gritted his teeth and with his long sword made a long gash on the Norseman's arm , and took a leap back.

The blood dripped onto the alter , a few moments passed. Then slowly many eyes appeared in the darkness. Not human eyes, round and pitch black like a fish, or a spider.

The eyes filled the cave, the men shook in fear but never moved. To move now would mean death.

Even moonlight was harsh for the creature and it took its time refocusing its many many eyes.

The norseman did not scream , but he looked up at the eel that could easily swallow a bull in one mouthfull. It filled the cave.

"Det er slange som gnager på roten yggdrasil….nidhogg" (it is the snake that eats the roots of the tree yggdrasil….nidhogg)

He started to low and powerfully sing the many names of Odin his god.

"It is not one of your gods. It is one of ours." Innis Macintosh growled.

The skin on the giant serpent was smooth, it has no scales and was slick ,shiny and smooth its many eyes caught a fragment of gleaming moonlight , it was unblinking. Slowly it opened its mouth, there were rows and rows of teeth like the ocean has waves. They went on forever deep inside the creature.

"Crom Cruach, we brought you the fresh blood of this man. In return we demand your protection in battle and against these men from the north! " As soon as he said 'north' the monster leaped at the bound man ripped away the bond and retreated to his home " ROLL THE STONE!" The four men rolled the stone back to a closed position all the while they heard thrashing and the breaking of bones. The stone rolled closed and the men hopped back. Watching, the ground shook The creature was feeding.

"Back to the ship." The ancient god was hungrier then ever. They use to give him the sweet blood of their babies but people had fled the worship of Crom Cruach once they saw him. All save the fearless Picts.

The men started back to the forest, they would be back a bit after sunrise. The sacrifices were a part of his clan for as long as he could remember, they had worshiped him for eternity. He was cold to it now and he thought now upon his empty stomach 'they would arrive at castle MacGuffin just in time for breakfast' Innis Reflected.

* * *

Across the room the healer put a bowl of porridge at Grants side. He heard giggling from outside his curtain. His leg felt better today and he would get up on his crunches. Lord MacGuffin was up early this morning and pulled the curtain back to watch Merida put the children away and return to her bed. The children came now into his 'room', as they often did.

"Och, whoot ar' ye' up t' noow? Whoot u gut therrr?" Grant smiled sleepily at Asling and Frasier .

"I got an sword!" Frasier swung the wooden carvig around the room fighting with the curtain.

"Oh Aye, M' burthrr will be by soon . He can show you a few things" Grant chuckled at the thin boy. Grants brother Garret had scarcely left him alone. Good of him to do that too, he could not take Bridget's anger by himself. She was fuming since last night.

"-and I got a bow!" Asling held it to her chest. There infact was a crude bow made from a sapling , it was still wet from having its bark freshly peeled off. On it was a few ribbons, whoever put it together had in mind that it was a bow for a small girl.

"A bow…" Grant looked sadly onto Asling. She was slightly crippled now after her hand got stuck in a mill.

"Aye! And im a good shot alreedy!" Asling hopped up on the bed , stood to her feet and drew the string.

She had great posture, someone spent some time teaching her.

' where did she learn that?' MacGuffin was confused.

"oh?" Truly he was surprised.

"Yes! The best archer here in the castle taught me!" Asling had not been this happy in a week.

"Shamus is here?" Shamus was an older warrior who was Grants right hand , like he had been his fathers right hand before him. He was an uncle to Grant, Shamus also came by often to the sick beds.

"No not him!" She put on a pout as if Macguffin offended her. " Merida! Our princess! She showed me I only need three fingers t' shoot!" and with that she released an 'arrow' at Frasier. He yelped and turned around, it did not hurt him in the slightest but it startled him, for that he shook the sword at her and she let out a yelp.

'Yes she had promise..'

" ' ur-prrrincess. 'Now your makin things up." Grant picked up the bowl of hot breakfast and started spooning it into his mouth.

Asling turned back to Grant.

"Fine ill go ask her then!" she crossed her arms and jumped off the bed.

"Yah!" chirped up Frasier siding with the little blond girl.

Grant choked on his oatmeal.

What he tried to say was -' no wait come back ! Don't!"

But he was too busy coughing up fall berries in his wind pipe.

Grant scrambled for his crutches , grabbing them he started to hobble towards the curtain. The stitches could not have much weight on them or they would pop, but he would be brand new in a week or so. He was wearing a thick white tunic that stopped at kilt Hight at the knee. He peered out of the fabric , there the two kids were sitting on meridas bed.

"CRIVINS" he hissed , 'Bridget is going to have me baws in her bag'. It was too late he was spotted. 'Try not to make a fool out of urself MacGuffin.' so he stepped into the hall. Making his way over he was thankful Ian had left his post at her bed.

"Morrning, I think you have some visitors." Grant said nodding at the kids .

"Oh Aye! And I don't have a clue who they could be!"

The two children wailed in protest from being teased , and Merida laughed and laughed. Her laugh was like sun shine and he ripped away his gaze at her .

"T'ey wonted a vis't , said they kenew ya'"

"Oh Aye." She reched out a hand covered in a cast and ruffled the hair of the blond girl who squealed and laughed patting her hair back to a bit of a neatness. Grant looked at it for the first time. ' how long would that take to heal?' he also saw her stitches on her face and stopped his need to reach out and touch her. She was truly a great warrior.

"Did they show ya what great warriors they are?"

"hm?- Aye-Tha' they did." He snapped out of his daze. He needed to get back before Bridget came this morning. Behind him Grant had another visitor. It was Garret, who did not approach right away. He stood back and watched.

"Good t' see ya on your feet MacGuffin." Merida gave him a toothy smile, she was beautiful when she was in a good mood. The children jumped all over her bed and she made slow grabs at their feet. They had caused quite the ruckus.

* * *

Garret was far enough away at the other end of the hall not to be noticed right away, and he crossed his arms and chuckled at his brother. He had not seen his brother this happy, in… well, he could not remember.

"She's happy too" Garret turned his head, a tall boy with red hair smiled behind him.

"Aye, I guess so, who may you be?" Garret was not good at telling the triplets apart, though they were his age.

"Harris, the red heid's brother." he nodded in the direction of Merida." we should take wa't happiness we can geet." The prince was known to be wise beyond his years." Dark times a commin."

Garret nodded, he was a serious type like Hamish, Harris' brother.

"I think we should have a chat." Harris looked upon his sister passed Garret. Was protective over the Princess, fiercely so.

* * *

Authors notes:

Dear reader , I hope you are enjoying what I've typed so far!

Just a few notes , I read a lot of Celtic, Norse and roman mythologies to name a few and have surprisingly found some interesting stories that are either copies of each other or they are about the same person. The examples to follow are to show you that the mythologies in these religions are either sisters to each other or they draw influence from one another. the regions of Norway, Scotland, Ireland and so on is where this is apparent and it is also where the book takes place.

Example: Finn McCool and Sigurd Volsung ; one is Irish, and the other from Norse mythology. ( those of you who watch the show "Vikings" would be more familiar with Sigurd for he is the grandfather of the second wife of Ragnar.)

Continuing on … the two men have stories that are very similar in terms of where they gained there great wisdom, so much so that it is hard to argue that one is not a copy of the other. Then again (as I said before ) these stories can be about the same person as the Nords and the Irish/Scottish people were constantly interacting with the 'Northmen' as I like to call them.

( now this is just from memory and there are many versions of the story I'm about to bring up so bare with me)

-Finn - as a boy helps an old man ( we believe him to be a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann / fairy race of demigods and immortals) he is sort of tricked by this Old man to catch some salmon. Finn agrees unaware that the salmon are magic and have eaten from the tree of knowledge , so if anyone should eat the fish they too would be blessed with an unhuman amount of knowledge. He catches the fish but when he is instructed to cook the fish for the old man he ends up burning his hand and not thinking anything of it quickly puts his burned thumb in his mouth. It is covered with the cooking oils of the fish, and he becomes 'almost' all knowing.

-Sigurd- As a young warrior, Sigurd is tricked by a member of the dwarf race

( -they live in the ground and are great craftsmen , black smiths , exactly like the Tuatha Dé Danann)

He is set on a quest to kill a dragon/ great worm.

(I know it's a stretch but dragons are also classified as' great worms ' and worms can also be grouped into the same category as fish.* Read The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien* Lets keep in mind they had no Wikipedia back then and a lot of people were playing broken telephone, not to mention the lack of people who were even slightly literate. So if I was living back then and not only had a poor grasp of the Nordic language plus no way to translate accurately what I heard , a lot of things would be lost in translation. So if someone was describing "a magic scaly thing with no legs " I bet I would think it was a fish too.)

Sigurd kills the dragon all for the benefit of the Dwarf, who then tells him to cut open the dragon Fafnir and cook his heart on the fire.

Sigurd burns himself , puts his burned hand in his mouth, that is covered in dragon blood , and gains a mass amount of knowledge. He then kills the Dwarf and the story continues from there.

My point is these groups of people were interacting with each other and I would not doubt that mythologies were as grouped to one area as we believe. I also think that a practicing (enter religion/belief here) would expect their god/s to follow them no matter where they traveled. So it would be reasonable to assume that a church in Scandinavia would be just as close to god as on in the united states. I'm just using Christianity as an example.

So that brings us to Crom Cruach who we see for a brief moment in this chapter.

He was worshiped mostly in Ireland, but who can say if he was not worshiped by the Picts or anyone else in that area around that time period. Stranger things have happened.

Crom Cruach was a blood god that demanded child/human/cattle sacrifice. Scares the human waste right out of me.

If you would like to see more of Crom Cruach watch the movie "secret of Kells".

Anywho- Hope you keep on enjoying the chapters , I promise more " blood for the blood god" ( sorry that was a warhammer reference. But also , yes, there will be more detailed battles) , more Love triangles , more confusion , and there will be more fantastic beasts/ mythical creatures. But I will use them very , very sparingly.


	9. Chapter 9

Garret and Hamish sat in the kitchens.

" you know we are continuing up to the Pictish lands, we want your brother Lord MacGuffin to come with us. I had talked this over wh't the Bear King."

Garret nodded and started drinking a spiced apple cider , still warm from the kettle.

"We will be taking with us the Young lord Dingwall and his clansmen. Along with Merida and The group from Clan Macintosh. We want your brother to come. It would not be good for you lands if three of the lords were gathered without the lord of MacGuffin to join them. It would putyour Lord at odds with the other Lords, be'in left out an all. Though, We also know he has… ties." Harris stressed that word and eyed Garret.

"Aye , your talking about Bridget now"

" I am, and I'm worried he will nea come because of her. I heard she is a bit o' ah handful." Harris smiled at one of the kitchen maids as she walked by.

"Oh Aye, she has always been that way , I tried to warn my da', she had put on a good face for years."

"Haw, then she was betrothed to MacGuffin based on her…" Harris was searching for the reasion this woman was even in the court.

"She was beautiful and she claimed to love m' brother." Garret looked into his cup of cider. " even before m' da's deah, something was off." he drew closer to Harris and whispered. "she dose not seem, I donne kenw, interested. Like shes waitin for her ship t' com in"

"Aye. I could tell from y'r brothers face. When do you think he will figr it oot?"

"Whut?" Garret knitted his eyebrows.

"That's hes inlove with my sister?"

Garret shruged a shoulder. "It'll n're happ'in with the black cat around" he was referring to Bridget.

"Come with me." Harris knocked a fist on the table like he was knocking on a door. "Lets go."

"Where are we goin now?"

"To make some coin, I don't do anything for free if I can help it."

* * *

Ian had helped Merida move her bundle of things to the room she was appointed. It was time for her to move out of the sick hall, after this she had plans to visit her Father. It was time to start thinking about sailing northward. For now she had her new room to look forward to.

'I never actually got to see it.' Merida Reflected. Ian Macintosh had sprinted off ahead to take her things, he had been a great help and it was hard to admit it to herself but he was growing on her.

She passed Frasier's and Aslings beds, they were not there. Maybe they were with Lord MacGuffin. 'He would be out of the sick hall too.' She did not want to go without saying good-bye. So she looked around. Bridget was hanging around like a hawk. But for some reason she was not here. So Merida walked up to the curtain and rocking on her heals she cleared her throat loudly. There was no doors to knock on in the sick hall.

"Are the kids whit you, MacGuffin?" She waited moment.

"Come in." Grant said solemnly.

* * *

In the hall way Ian was holding a bundle of Merida's things , his sides long and proud , chest out, he was having a fantastic day. Turning a corner he Almost fell into a black haired maiden.

Ian flicked his hair and looked slightly anoyed that someone whould be that dumb to get In his way. She had black hair and brown eyes. Ian had never noticed her before even though she was in the sick hall quite often. He was already focused on Merida and that was one person too many, the Young lord would always love himself first.

"OH!" she gasped and grabbed his belt pretending to faint , even Ian knew it was a fake. But she was stronger then he thought and he tripped right on to her.

"Lord Macintosh!" she batted her eyes up at him, he was almost laying on top of her and he was red with anger. Bridget gasped again and brushed a long strand of hair away from her long lashes and brown eyes.

"That's my fathers name." Ian was getting up off of her and she took his hand forcefully pulling herself up as well.

She was a year older then him and busty, everything a man looked for in a woman. But Ian had his pick , the only one he wanted was the one that refused him.

'And this woman, she was boring. ' He flicked his hair out of his eyes and scowled picking up the spilled contents of Meridas bundle of things.

She dusted off her dress leaning against the stone wall in the hallway.

"Then whoot should I call you?"

"Ian-" before he could stop himself he blurted it out as he was picking up the things. '"ugh" 'by the gods he was never going to hear the end of it," He was right , She was swooning behind him.

As melodically as she could she played with the name on her tongue. "Sigh, Iann." Bridget touched her cheek, she was blushing hard and she felt warm.

"Yes?"

"I'm sure you want my name, its Bridget." Ian picked up the bundle and stood up.

"Goodbye Bonnie." Then he strode quickly down the hall.

" He called me Bonnie!" She squealed when he was just out of ear shot. 'Rabbie was right! Ian was smitten with her!'

Ian was unfortunately not smitten with anyone. He had forgotten her name almost as she had said it to him. Bonnie was as close to the name as he could remember, and that suited him just fine. He never wished to talk to that woman again. He was more mad that he had waisted his time with the black haired woman and had to pick up a bundle of Meridas things when he could have been half way back to the sick hall by then.

* * *

Merida opened up the curtain with one hand and looked around the room , MacGuffin was sitting on the bed dressed in his tartan again.

"She's noot h'eare" Grant was 'widdling' away at his crutches to make them a bit smoother.

"Who?" Merida mewed.

"Bridget ,sheh Juhst left ." There was a obvious awkwardness between them now. Merida could tell Grant was sad about something she just could not tell what that was.

"Oh Aye," She walked into the room not looking at Grant. " When are you allowed to leave?"

"I'm the lord I c'n Leev When I woont tu." Merida was getting a little upset with his glum and course attitude.

"Just tell the bairns that I left and that ill be bac to see em or they can com by-"

"thah it?" He was upset about something. 'She was not here for him.'

"Excuse me?" Merida felt cold, then she felt her cheeks burning red, she was loosing her temper.

"Are u goin to go or - " Grant looked up at her but he looked as miserable as when she found him drunk by his dads grave.

"Stop it." She let her temper go, she could not get mad at him, something was wrong and he was pushing her away.

"whoot?" He was defiant.

"Stop it right now, I don't know how you feel because- Yuh wont tell me- and tha'ts is really non on my business- but this is nea yu MacGuffin.'"

"An who am I supose t' be?" MacGuffin, had looked hurt that she did not call him 'grant'. He was angry , sad , he did not know what he was feeling , but he was stuck behind the curtain hearing her and the kids , and Ian. That made his fists turn into a ball. He never felt this way before , he wanted to yell at her and never see her again when he thought about Ian and Merida laughing together. Maybe it was Bridget rubbing off on him, and he was catching a short temper but he felt so strongly about the words he said to her.

"Am I suppose to be Ian? Tellin you aboot how great I am? Or how smart I am? Aye Maybe you want me to be Rabbie too."

"Macguffin-"

"an when did ye' sturt call'in me MacGuffin? Whoot happen'd tu' me name?" They had not raised their voices very much above a whisper but Grants voice was horse with emotion.

"Because-"

"Becuhs o' whoot?-" He snapped

"Because of Bridget, I ken your betrothed-" Grants Heart broke. "why are' ye not happy?"

"get out." Merida would not have any of that. The young lord looked so alone , his crutch in one hand and a small dirk in the other. She walked over to him. He was like the horses she would break in the stables. He had the same look in his eyes, and she was without fear. Merida approached him he gripped the dirk but she did not falter. She stood in front of him and leaning closer she hugged his ridged body.

"Whatever it is that is hurtin you, you have to not take it oot on the people who want to help." MacGuffin remembered his fathers grave and the first night he met with Merida. The way Merida was with him up at the graves, she did not leave him behind. How she helped him from the water, warmed him by a fire. She took care of him even when he locked her in a room and he was pushing her away. Grant just wanted her to go away it hurt too much when she was around. There was no way he could have feelings for her yet his heart was fighting him. To dishonor his fathers choice of bride was to go against his father. He remembered his dream. He hardly went a day not remembering it. How her brothers belittled him, how he was not worthy of Merida. Even she had told him to let go. Maybe that is what he had to do. Was that what his dad ment in the dream, that was the hard thing he had to do? To let her go?

"Merida-" Grant was weeping quietly. "I want you to go away." something about his plea made her eyes well up with tears, but she fought them back. She held him tighter. It made him feel weaker and he let more tears run down his face.

"Aye ill go MacGuffin." Merida petted his blond long hair and moved away from him. She looked sad. 'why was she sad?'

"Don't destroy yourself, I know it might not mean much but I'll always be here." Then she left. 

* * *

There coming down the hall was Ian, he was looking flustered. 'what was wrong with him?' But his face changed when he saw her.

"Whoot happened?" He looked concerned. Merida felt her face she had been crying.

"nothin, so will ye show me to my room?" Ian Macintosh could not look more pleased.

"Oh Aye!" He grabbed her hand and put it in the crook of his very large tattooed forearm and strode her away slightly suspicious of what had happened to make her cry.

* * *

The triplets arrived in a great room with there dad. Garret followed them in.

"Da'! How are the birds today." Hubert was talking about the message birds they used for quick letters." did you get one from mum yet?"

"oh Aye, she sends her love."

"And?" Hubert nodded at his dad, as if to tell him he was not buying it.

"-and she is right pissed merida is with us, lets not tell her about the cast Aye?"

"OH da' we wouldent think of it-" Hubert smiled and Hamish moaned , he hated secrets they always came out in the end.

"Fergus!" Lord Macintosh entered the room bursting in and with him was Lord Dingwall.

Harris smiled and bumped Hamish and garret with his elbows and mouthed ' watch this'.

"We have been waitin for a few days now an th' Nurds are scared off back to wereverthehell they came froom, we should leave soon." Innis stormed in and stood in the middle of the room.

"We need t' stop dillydallyin and shove off already. " lord Dingwall stood next to the Wiry Pict.

"Oh Aye I think we should leave quite soon I'll tell Ian to tell Merida-"

Fergus looked at Harris.

"whoot?" the Bear king said, he was in disbelief.

"Oh Aye Fergus we may be fathers in law soon enough" Innis was smiling a crooked sly smile. Fergus felt woosy and sat down in a chair.

"I donnea belive it." Fergus Dunbroch shook his head, got up from the chair and paced the room. It looked like he was about to have kittens.

"You shouldn't belive it , ever' one knows Rabbie has been after her hand since he first sawr her!" Dingwall was starting to puff up into a little red ball again. In his mind Rabbie was the only one suited for Merida.

" I think we should make a wagger!" Harris smiled . Hamish and their father roared at him.

"WHAT! Profitin off your sister?!" Son and Father barked in unison.

"Now, now, now. we all know Merida will chose what Merida wants. There is no way in this world or the next she willnea cave to anyone who she dosnnea want. That bein said I think it is time fur a bit o' sport to be had here". Harris strode through the room hands behind his back he looked like the rooster that he was on the inside. Hubert giggled, his brother was too clever for is own good, though Hamish could not see his little game and was still fuming.

"The game is, we make ou'r choice of who will take Meridas hand ,and the losers have to settle their squabbles-"

"HAW, Really now!"Dingwall piped up, but was cut off as Harris continued.

"-For as long as they live. No land disputes fought and won without consulting the King, no Raisin taxes AND HIDEIN IT-" He eyed Dingwall who pretended he saw something interesting out of the window. "Nothin, we will have peace once more, save that one of youh' wil be our new family member. That an' this…" Harris held out his hand. It was a small key.

"an that is?" Dingwall looked at the small key curious.

"This is all that ive collected frum all the battles we won." Harris threw the key to Hamish ,who then opened up a small chest he had been sitting on. Garret was beside him and looking down at the treasure; it was filled to the brim with gold , gems and even some armor. " Only our king will know who we wager on,an it must stay secret. Not even ur sons may know. The winner Will have the chest and a higher place at the court, 'IF' he winns. So now the rules ar clear …any of you want to wagger too? Make the pot a bit sweeter?"

"Oh Aye" Said the Pict watching Dingwall drool over the gold , knowing if he wagered Dingwall would have to too, and then he would take even more home ,north, with him.

" I'll bet Ross' weight in gold, plus fishin rights to my land for 5 years ." Ross was insulted , Innis knew when he got mad he made rash decisions.

"And Ill Wagger Double that! Plus half of my cattle!" Innis spit heartily into his hand and shook Ross' hand firmly. Each of them thinking they outsmarted the other, all the while Harris smiled by his fathers side like a crow in a tree.

Each of the men came separately to Fergus and whispered into his ear who they wagered on. It was as you could have guessed both of the Lords thought that their own son would win. And they left the room together quite happily.

Fergus set himself down in a large chair and looked over at the Prince who had a very wide smile.

"peace."

"Aye father. Also happiness. For Merida. But look at us. We have fallen apart now the clans are mistrustin one another. This will change that." Harris came over, and closed the chest sitting on its lid like Hubert had done.

"Da' its been takin a toll on all of us." Harris looked into the aging eyes of the king. The King was in fact tired of all the fighting, it had carried on for years. For too long.

"You cannea sell her' off like tha'" Hamish was Still upset. He would never admit it but he had the softest spot for his older sister out of the four of them next to their mother.

"Believe in her a bit more, don't you believe in fate?" Harris pleaded up to his brother who had his arms crossed." you didnea hear who I waggered on."

Garret looked up at Harris, and he looked back at Garret.

"Your brother Grant. I told ye' I dunnea do anythin fur free." With that he reached behind him to a table and took a meat pie in his hand , contently eating it in silence.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

November 25, 2016

8:13 AM

Merida only had one thing on her mind. Her bow. It was risky to ride a horse with her arm bound , reluctantly she kept riding to a minimum. So with riding a small happiness in her life , she felt the need to get back to keeping up with her marksmanship. The room she was given was one befitting a princess. It had a large bed many rugs and tapestries that kept the room warm. There was even a bit of a bookshelf , and The Princess of Dunbroch had already flipped through many stories. Merida got dressed in a blue dress the lady MacGuffin had made for her. Being the lady of the house and skilled with needle work had made a beautiful dress out of the thick tartan of the Dunbroch clan. The other dress was irreparable being stained with blood, and there for she was unable to wear it. The tartan made the dress very durable , and it came with a green thick cotton bodice and a long sleeve undershirt. Merida found it easy to lace up the back of the bodice of her new dress, more so then the one she had before. With her arm still in a cast she was finding it hard to do things by herself sometimes. The healer told her that it should be coming off in two weeks. The bone was cracked but not in two pieces, lucky enough. ' Who knows how long it will be un till I can draw m' bow." The clash between the Clansman and the Norsemen came to Merida all at once. ' That was just a small band of the men from the north.' Merida reflected upon this as she tied a bow in her bodice in the front of her dress. ' I need to stay sharp.' She needed to practice. So taking her bow , stringing it around her shoulder and her fletch of arrows in hand, Merida strode out of her room a few hours past daybreak. As she turned to go right; down the hallway , ultimately leading her to the village inside the castle wall her stomach gurgled. She was forced to go Left , towards the kitchens in the castle and to a warm breakfast. Her excitement over her new bow attachment would have to wait.

Merida made a corner , usually she was a very early riser but today she was accompanied by a man with very fair hair.

"Mornin." Rabbie was all of a sudden beside her.

'How long had he been standing there for?' "Morning,"

"Nice to be out of the sick beds and back in you'r own rum?"

"Aye." Merida was highly suspicious of Rabbie. Harris had warned her he was too smart for his own good, but maybe that was jealousy?

" Well, would you mind if I joined you fur breakfast."

"No, I don't think I would mind the company." She was on orders from her mother to never be rude and always be the first to offer friendship. But even her mother knew there was no three strike system with the Princess.

"So where ar' ye' headed too this early in the morn? Back to the stables for a ride?" Rabbie was being on the verge of charming.

"Just to the smithie to pick up a few things, but the kitchens mostly. Probably visit me' Da'." Merida had seen him a few times now and then since her cast, but she wanted to know the details of there voyage north.

"Och, Aye belive he is doin jus' fine. My Da' was sayin this is." Rabbie's father Lord Dingwall was a hard man to get along with but if he ever did have a friend it was probably in her father; King Fergus.

Merida managed to get through small talk all the way down to the kitchens .She was regretting allowing Rabbie to join her for breakfast. Not that he was being rude , they just did not have much in common. It seemed as if Rabbie was not too excited about much of anything, and he knew a lot about almost everything. He was like a large chest of secrets and possessed knowledge that Merida had a hard time figuring out where he came by it. It made her uneasy.

After a hurried breakfast Merida excused herself and started off towards the kitchen doors.

"Merida ." She winced , Rabbie Dingwall was behind her.

"Yes Rabbie?" She spun around on her heels. She almost escaped , almost.

" I - I just want to warn ya."He drew closer to her looking around them. This peaked Meridas interest and she leaned in arms crossed lending him her ear.

"I know this sounds suspicious coming from a man you know wants your hand."

Merida tightened her lips and grew red in the face. It was very bold of him to say such a thing though it was the truth. She had known since Rabbie Dingwall left Dunbroch that he carried romantic feelings towards her.

"- keep an Eye on Ian, he's quite the ladies man. " With that Rabbie sighed ,and shrugging his shoulders he left the kitchens towards the court room. He did not say anything untruthful, Merida had seen the women follow him wherever Ian went. But Young Dingwall had planted successfully his seeds of doubt. Even if it didn't grow , Rabbie was certain by the end of the week , at the most , Ian would never be allowed near Merida again.

Merida was contemplating her encounter with the intelligent young lord. She believed she had seen a change in the narcissistic Young Macintosh. Maybe she was wrong, but she was not going to let someone else change her mind for her.

* * *

Merida had made it to the smithie, she was not alone as there was a line of people.' maybe breakfast first was not the best idea '. The line included three red haired young men and she smiled walking up to her brothers.

"Why ar' ya looking long in the face?"

"wha- Its nothing- " Merida should have known better not to say that. Harris alone could read her like a book. But she remarked to herself that Hamish looked reserved today.

"Sure, why are ya here? We will start with the easy questions first. " Hubert pulled at the shoulder fabric of her shirt " Och , ye' almost look like a lady in that." That was his way of saying the dress suited her.

"Almost " Harris chuckled poking an elbow at Merida, she shoved him playfully in retaliation.

"talkin so much about me' dress , maybe I should ask the lady Macguffin if she will have time to sew three more for the lot of you to wear!"

"Oh Well I don't think you have to-" Hamish looked over Merida, arms still crossed. " -you canjust ask that lad ov'r there."

Merida turned around , behind her was lord MacGuffin walking about 100 yards in the crowds. Her spirit dampened.

"Verr'y funny, he wouldnea talk t' me if he was payed to."

"Oh?" Hubert looked over at Grant MacGuffin , he had his long sandy blond hair in a long braid to the middle of his back. He walked with a cane as his stitches needed to be treated gently while he healed. Many warriors walked around bandaged up but the clan as a whole did not have many casualties.

" How about just payin me?" Joked Harris and gave a long whistle ,shout, and wave to the Lord MacGuffin. Merida stomped hard on Harris' foot and he hopped around holding his leg amidst the howls of laughter from his brothers.

"just this once try not t' get me in an uncomfortable situation." Merida was almost visibly upset." You three can do whoot you like just leave me out of it." luckily MacGuffin was not paying attention and he continued talking to a Warrior in his clan.

With that Merida stormed off to join the line of people waiting to talk to the black smith.

Harris noticed this change in behaviour and it told him his sister was hurt over something.

'something must have happened between the two.' Harris was dead right as usual.

"What?" Hubert squinted at his sister not quite getting it. But he got a light smack on the arm by his brother Hamish. Hubert looked at Hamish who nodded in the direction of the Lord. There beside MacGuffin was Bridgett.

"Och, is tha' the black cat we have heard so much about?" Hubert whispered to his serious brother. Hamish nodded.

"they say there is mor' then one way t' skin a cat. want to count the ways-" Hamish smiled sharing a devious smile with Hubert, but the two were held back by the eldest Harris.

"Watch." The three boys looked on to the couple. Then they noticed Bridget was not looking where she aught to. She was looking over her shoulder at Ian Macintosh who had appeared with a small crowd of women and handsome clansmen around him.

"o no-" Hamish said a bit sick. She was staring obviously at Ian, with a soft red glow on her cheeks. " -that woman has a lot of back boon to be thinkin whot shes thinkin." Any Woman could get divorced and remarried, free to do what she liked. But a woman who was betrothed openly watching another man in the company of her future husband was something the boys had never seen before. At that moment It did not make any sense to the men; Then it came to them all at once.

The boys drew all together and whispered in cold seriousness. Ian was far more wealthy then castle MacGuffin.

"A greedy gutsie ee ne'er gat a fou wame. (Greedy persons are never satisfied.)" Hamish growled.

"Beauty's muck whan honour's tint. (Beauty is of no value when honour is lost.) " Hubert shook his head.

Merida kept her eyes off the streets , she remembered too well what the Lord of Castle had told her.

It was finally her time to be seen by the smithies. He smiled as she approached, jumping up and reaching on the other side of the forge.

He welcomed her and quickly put a beautiful metal and wood staff in her hand.

"An' this will help me shoot?"

The smith motioned to a lamb skin with a target drawn upon it. It was hanging up on the other side of the smith's workshop and he put an arrow in her hand.

Merida , with a small amount of help, attached the middle of her bow to the small side of the staff. The other side of the staff cradled her shoulder on the casted arm side . The staff was taking the burden of the bow as her casted arm could be free to hold the bow lightly.

She drew back the arrow , not being able to contain her smiles. ' But why shoot at a wee lamb skin?'

Merida turned and walked out of the smiths workshop , and he followed her with quick steps.

She looked around, there a large wooden bar sign hung over the crowds. It was a carved bulls head.

Merida looked over at her brothers and whistled in their direction. She was a different woman with her bow in her hand ! And her brothers seeing her smile as she use to ,shouted in encouragement. For they knew their sister well and in a quick movement she drove an arrow into the middle of the carved bulls head in the pub sign. The sign swung almost off its chain and now not only her brothers were cheering, but her own clans men and a few of the others were now Jubail. They had their archer back not even a cast could stop her. The boys rushed their sister and drew her up above the crowds on their shoulders.

"Welcome back !" Ian Macintosh was pushing through the crowds towards Merida.

"Aye , back to takin heads an' she is not a day out of the sick beds!" Hubert howled.

"To the north!" cried Harris to the crowd. This would mean they would leave soon to travel to castle Macintosh.

"To the north! To the North ! To the north!" The crowd needed the celebration, even MacGuffin could see it and cracked a smile. Her smile was infectious and it was hard to resist.

Merida was laughing above the crowds being carried over the heads of men like a torch. Her hair was just like a waterfall of fire and she was more then fitting to be held like a hero. She was a fine warrior and now she would be back where she belonged.

The loud noise even drew the Lords and the King to the windows. Innis smiled a crooked smile over at Ross Dingwall spying his son with Merida out side of the pub. The bet was leaning in his favor , and Ross was stewing silently.

King Fergus was smiling too, his daughter was starting to have a gift of bringing people together. Merida knew her dad was proud of her, and raised her bow saluting her king as he came into her view.

"- she would be going north soon." MacGuffin was numbed by her eventual departure. He told her to leave, he had Bridget , his fathers choice of bride for himself. He needed to protect that and his feelings were going to betray him.

He looked over at Bridget , and she was cross.

But that's not what Harris saw when he looked at Bridget through the people. She was looking at Merida in jealousy but not from her betroths emotions of the red haired lass. But from the want of Ian Macintoshes attention, that Bridget would never posses.

Lord MacGuffin leaned on his cane feeling the stitches in his leg tighten. Grant looked back at Merida the smile leaving his face and he turned from the group filing into the pub to continue the celebrations. The question that went unanswered was if MacGuffin would also go north, or be left behind. Honestly , MacGuffin did not rightfully know himself.

Merida shared a pint with the boys but slipped away after a short time, She needed to find the king.

* * *

MacGuffin Needed council. Grant and his betrothed walked along the village shops for another hour or so , all in silence. The Lord had a lot on his mind. Finally he told Bridget he was going to the castle for a bit of a rest as the walking had been a bit hard on his leg. She looked as if she did not remember his le was almost cut off, but gave his hand a firm grip that made him feel a bit better. It was a half truth, he was going back to rest, but mostly to be in the company of his mother. With a small crooked gate he walked into the court room garden. The lady MacGuffin was a quiet person who became even quieter once his dad- Once they lost their Lord, but she lost a bit more. She lost the love of her life , her husband. Gillian MacGuffin was Fair and gentle as a fawn. Grant's father had won her hand in a chamberlain throwing competition. Still she was as slender as a willow, as white as a birch as soft as the down of a dove. He remembered those words. That's how his dad had described his mum and it was true today ; she was all of those things.

She was reading a small book, fall had started to sweep in. Her name suited her perfectly , she was always out in the forest or in the woods, just like Ghillie dhu. Ghillie dhu was a spirit what wore a shirt of green moss and was a protector of the trees, and of children.

"Mum." MacGuffin smiled to her , she looked up at him, her long blond hair was flowing over her shoulder. Lady MacGuffin stretched out her hand and smiled back beckoning him to come closer.

"m' wee lamb." She often would say that in secret , it was always what she had called him. "What is it?"

"noth'en mum, wanted t' tell yugh I may be goi'n away north to fight with th' Picts."

"oh Aye" She downturned her eyes to her book and Grant sat beside her looking on to the small page over her shoulder. He loved books and got the gift of fast learning from his mother.

"so yu' think , Aye shuld go then." Grant was testing to see what her real emotions were.

"I think yu' should do what you feel is right, what you think is best for all of us."

"well we cannea fight the norsemen on ur own." Grant looked at his hands his shoulders slumped. They had lost too many people , too many warriors. Yes he had lead his clan to victory a few days ago. But that was not enough, if they attacked again they would stand no chance. The had to fight together.

" Aye, m' wee lord." She was so pleasant. " I know my son, and my son will always do what he wants, what has made you weak of heart ?" Her eyes looked up at her Son who was now a head or two above her own.

She was right his doubts did not come from inside of him. It came from his betrothed.

"Wel' Bridget-"

"Och, I see." that's all he needed to say. Gillian continued. "I thin'k y' need t' ha'v a-bit-o'-a talk with the dove of yours."

Grant moaned "Haw! n' whoot sud I say?! Yu' ken hoow sh'e is!"

"Aye, I ken well enough, bu't she is not MY partner, she is yurs, and y' need to support eachother. You can' negh have a tree with just the branches and no ruuts." What she was trying to say was you can not have give without take, equally.

Grant slumped forward his cane rolling in his hands nervously.

" Woot wold da' do?" Grant almost whispered those words. And Gillian put her book down taking her son in her arms. It was like a child hugging a large oak.

"If you hav' to ask that question you ar' not listenin to him." She was right. Grants father Greggor would be forward and commanding. Grant did not like the idea of being that way with Bridget. It was a cause of another fight he was not looking forward to.


	11. Chapter 11

Fergus Dunbroch was laughing in the great room. He had brought his great hound with him and was holding his sides laughing as the dog was busy chasing a terrified kitchen boy with a tray of cooked meats. Harmlessly the hound bounded at the boy who was trying desperately to keep the dog at bay.

Merida walked in and strode in with her bow approaching the kind king with pride. If she looked like she felt on the inside She would be 10 feet tall. The princess placed the wooden staff and bow on the table cloth.

Some say old habits die hard, but with Merida it would be safer to never try to change those habits in the first place.

The kind reached out and hugged his daughter wiping a tear away from his eye.

"Whoot is that m' dove?"

" Its time to pack up the ships we can leave soon." Merida stood with her fists at her hips.

"Och, Relly' now?" He was teasing her looking at the bow, it looks like a child's toy in his hand. The Bear King was a big man and even that was verging on being an understatement.

"This little thing" she gestured at her cast. "Its not going to hold me back. Ill start packin 'me' bags." with that she gave her dad a kiss above one of his great red bushy eyebrows and went for her bow.

The king smiled and pulled it away from her , then Placed it in Meridas hands.

"I heard ya' lood an clearr, Bear Quien" He shook his head. "I was thinkin about havein a wee talk whith ya'" Merida looked at her dad her face all smiles. Fergus was going to bring up the bet the lords had made, but looking into his daughters happy face. He could not do it.

"whoot is it Da?"

"-er-we' ar goin to set sail two days frum noow." Merida's smile doubled and she turned to leave. She could not wait to get out of here as fast as possible.

"I love Ya Da'! Ill tell the Wee Devils-"

"Your brothers ar al'must as big as I am!"

"We'll I cant let that geet to their heads now can I?" With that she reached out and upset the tray of the kitchen boy spilling a bone or two onto the floor where 'Cu' the hound pounced happily. Fergus let out a exaggerated whine, she spoiled his fun, and he laughed as she gave him a wink. Merida strode out of the castle just as happy as she entered it.

* * *

Bridget was moving inside the castle wall her market basket half full of little gifts she bought herself. She was making her way up a spiral stone staircase when as she turned a round it Rabbie was there waiting.

She almost fell back in surprise.

"Whoot are u doin here?!" she hissed pushing passed him.

"I am only here to return somethin to you my lady." there in his hand was a wine skin.

'How dose he know I like wine.' She reached out to grab it, but he pulled away.

"ah, ah, ah." Rabbie Dingwall said softly ."Its not fur yu"

He gave her the skin, she looked at him hanging on every word. "I went fur a walk out in the woods. To a cottage."

Rabbies silver eyes were like a snakes and Bridget was enchanted.

"It's a lov potion. Only works if yu' use it right away…. He is in Merida's room." And With that Wee Dingwall turned to leave.

She ran the rest of the way up the stairs.

* * *

Ian was in Meridas room because of a very beautifully penned love note from 'Merida' asking his company this evening. Picts did not know what a fake letter looked like , the only fakes they could spot were ones in swords or ale.

Stone staircases have a way of letting sound travel; and a red haired man was sprinting down the hallway.

"Whot are we goin to tell Merida?!" Hubert was running behind Harris, Hamish no where to be found. A good thing too he would have flayed Ians hide for being in his sisters room alone.

" We are not going to Merida!" Harris was using every inch of his long legs almost blowing people over when he passed them.

"Then where?!"

"To Lord MacGuffin!" Harris hopped to a stop swung his head around in every direction , chose a hallway just as Hubert Caught up almost crashing into his older brother, and then like deer they were off again.

Merida was making her way up the stairs she was excited to start packing

Ian heard the door open and running a hand through his black silken hair , just brushed , he gave his best pout to the woman at the door.

"I'm so glad you have come." Ian looked up batting his lashes.

"Oh Aye Ian, I am glad also."

Ian Macintosh could not contain his red face, this was going on better then expected. He dramatically looked away and walked to the window.

"Care for a drink?"

"Aye." The letter was right she was about to allow him to have her hand, never had she been so hospitable. 'finally she came to her senses.'

A slender hand placed a bulls horn mug in front of him on the windowsill and he took it drinking deep for his nerves.

"I have been wanting to tell yu' my feelins for you."

"oh?" he could hear her move and sit on the bed. 'By the gods she had given him wine, and was sitting on a bed behind him.'

He drained the wine and put it down firmly on the sill and turning around he began to fiddle with the sash of his tartan over his bare chest. There she was; her legs visible but her torso and head hid behind the curtain of the bed. The Pict nearly ripped his tartan from him and worked on the belt on his hip. He could see her bare feet and leg from under her skirt. There on the floor he passed her day dress as it lay in a heap. Beautiful purple , not the blue she had worn this morning.

His kilt joined her dress on the rug .

"I av alwase wanted you-" Ian was not sure he knew what he was feeling, for those words came out without warning. Shaking he drew back the curtain. There was Bridget.

Ian was so shocked he stood there mouth agape, He wished he was dead.

Ian did not see Merida who stood in the door way ,she was just as shocked as he was. But before the two undressed 'lovers' realised they were now a threesome ,Merida closed the door. She felt like she wanted to throw up.

"By the gods!" she hissed , not only did she see more then Ian then she cared to ever see, but they where there on HER bed.

'whot do I do?' She was shaking. 'what if Ma-'

"MacGuffin!" Merida almost fainted , there Macguffin was standing infront of her. She was going to cry.

"who are ye'-"

"your brothers said to meet you in yur room-"

She made up her mind then that she was going to dig three graves that night one for each of her brothers.

"Oh Aye!" she was obviously shaking, 'I hid a bear from an entire league of warriors this will be easy.' She grabbed his hand. Grant could not bare to take it away from her soft touch." com' w' me! I-I sawr a -um-a Wisp! It was ov'r there!"

'She was not her normal self, was that because of the vision of the blue flamed wisp?' She led him urgently away.

"I just cam up all thos stairs, can I take a wee rast? m'be in y'ur rooom?" Grant stopped and went for her door.

"Grant." He stopped when he heard his name on her lips. " follow me then, we can'nea go in there-"

"Wy?"

"Grant what did you mean by "other dreams?""

It was Grants turn to turn pale. But suddenly he heard a crash in Meridas room followed by excited chatter.

"woot was tha-?"

"You said you had other Dreams of me… when we fell into the loc, and you slept by the fire, you said some things …"

Grant whipped back around, his heart was ringing in his ears. She had his full attention again but - "The hallway is not safe… follow me." she managed to shove the door open to a room that belonged to her brothers. Thankfully it was deserted. She almost pushed MacGuffin into the room ahead of her, she entered behind him ,keeping the door open a sliver , to watch her own door out In the hallway.

Now all she had to do was keep him here, untill the damn foxes left their den.

He was sitting on a chair looking at her, just like if he was a boy waiting to see if he was about to get a thrashing or not.

Grant just sat motionless.' was that sweat beading on his brow?'

"so are you goin' to tell me the dream's then?" The tables were turned. Now it was his turn to shake in his boots.

"Y' hear'd me then?"

"Aye, that I did." That was a bit of a fib. He had said a lot of things by the fire that night most of it nonsense.

He got up.

This was not suppose to happen.

Grant walked over to her, and took her hand.

"do'yah trulleyh woont t' ken?"

Merida nodded yes.

"Aye , had a dreem aboot yu' in that loc. Exactly like we had been. " He was gripping her hand now ,and she could tell he was having a hard time talking over the lump in his throat. Grant paused quite a bit. "You were in tha' night gown'd" Merida wanted to run. She did not know why, she always felt safe with Macguffin "even t' wisp w's thur."

"whot do you think I means?"

"I donegh ken -"

Out of the corner of her eye she could see macintosh run down the hallway almost naked, a few seconds a fully dressed Bridgget followed in an equal amount of a hury.

He lifted a great paw of a hand, his fingers touched her hair.

" I do ken that you were j't as bonnie then as u' werrr in m' dreeems"


	12. Chapter 12

MacGuffin finally cracked.

A few nights now he was aware of how he felt. And it had killed him. Maybe telling her would let him have some rest. He had not slept since the battle with the norsemen. Not only did he feel guilty for how he treated her but he felt he was the cause of her broken arm.

"Aye hav' t' ask ur forgivness. When Aye pusht ya lik a dunderheid (idiot) lockin ya up in thah rooom… I whas. I whas-try'na keep ya safe froom the norsemen. Aye's whas just tryn to keep ya frum harm, but even when u wer' behind m' Baulk I couldnea save ya." MacGuffin was unsettlingly close to Merida and dropped his hand from her red curls he loved so much. His fists formed a ball and he became ridged remembering how he tried to fight a crazed Norseman, and failed.

He felt angry at Merida , for not listening to him, and for the time he spent in the sick room listening to her laughter drift down the sick hall. No none of that was her fault. It was his jealousy for Ian Macintosh.

"Wheen I wa's in t' Sick beds I feult su' …Drum. ( discontented ,sad)" MacGuffin hung his head.

"I know Grant. An' it was because of me an' I left." Merida did not know why he was feeling sad now she had removed herself from him , stayed away from him. She did what he asked of her.

"Aye,Nea, Ock whoot in tryin to tell ya I was Vex'in w' Jealousy." Grant growled at her and Merida growled back.

"HAW! AN AYE DID THIS TO YA?! U' - just the same as anyone else has no claim on me!" She did not have any romantic interests at the moment and to believe that she made Grant jealous on propose or to spite MacGuffin was a claim of dishonor on herself. That's why she raised her voice a little at the young lord.

"Don't u understand a darn thing yu' dafty Quine!? ( stupid girl)" she pushed him and reached for the door , Grant slammed it shut with one large hand. His Tree trunk of an arm stopped her from moving away.

" Aye, was Ragin ( in a rage) w' herin you and Ian thah' Chack-a-puddin( self centered) Gomach (fool) a laughin on'ly a few yards away, do ya' ken what tha' would to to a Drengr (un married man) li'k me'shlf?! Hearin y' two for almost two days sulid"

"Doos it really matter? Well you don't ha'v t' worry aboot Ian Ever again I have seen the last of him, and what I have seen already was more then I ever wanted to!" She was going to tell him about what she saw in her room out of anger still fuming over what Grant had suggested. That she was trying to make him jealous out of spite.

Merida grabbed his shirt by the collar , held tightly in her fists.

"You let that door go Lord or Im goin to Clobber yu' and feed yu to the dogs!"

Her vow could be heard outside. Harris and Hubert were there to hear their sister on the opposite side of the door. They were both anxious listening in.

"Gods! He may kill her!" Hubert whispered franticly to his brother.

"She can take care of herself." but the boys held on to their daggers as they waited.

"Merida!" Grant grabbed her by her shoulders and kissed her. It was Her first kiss and she was unprepared. She felt betrayed and wanted to cry. There was tears in MacGuffins eyes and he put her down. He did not mean to kiss her, did he? No he did mean to kiss her, he just did not want it to have been this way. Merida Felt betrayed some how and gritted her teeth at him.

"-I felt Heartsick- Like Angus Og." Grant was pleading now. He needed to tell her.

Angus Og, Or "Angus the young" was a elfin/fairy prince, he fell in love with a woman from his dreams and was close to death of heartsickness. He almost died until he found her.

Merida released him and pushed Grant back a few steps . The anger had fallen from her and she just stood there feeling numb. She did not want to be apart of this conversation anymore.

"Grant You' hav' Bridget, you are betrothed."

Yes it was true he was promised to another, but it was equally true he had dreamt of the princess long before she came to his lands. Before Bridget. Just like Angus Og had dreamed of his love, Grant felt the same. He was happy she came, and met him on the hill. She could have just left him up there to die but she didn't. Without Merida he would not be standing here to marry Bridget. Yes it was the right time to come clean with his feelings, they had been eating away at him.

"Aye I do. An' I I will tell her…"

"Grant do you want to know why I don't want to see Ian Macintosh again." She interrupted him. Grant was silent ,he was serious now. "He was in my room just now. An-" Merida was finding it hard to get her words out. Grant had completely changed his demeanor. He was a pillar of stone in grave shadow. "He was undressed-"

Grant Pulled his dagger from the sheath and ripped the door open almost off its hinges. He crossed the hall way not noticing the two red haired men clinging to the wall of stone behind him. Grant made long strides to Meridas room, inside he found she was telling the truth. There was wine on a table ( Merida did not like wine) and Macintoshes sash with his crest pin still clinging to it. Merida walked in behind him knowing he would not find Ian.

Grant looked behind all the curtains and under the bed, letting out a growl of anger. He was pacing the room like a wolf in a cage.

' He is not here." Merida tried to sooth him, her arms crossed.

Grant passed the cup of wine, it was drained but was used recently for it was wet still. there beside the cup was a letter.

"woot is this?!" He read the letter over quickly. Was she lying to him? This was a letter to Ian from Merida, and it was suggestive…" you bettr com clean…" Grant turned and squared off with Merida who honestly did not have any idea what he was talking about.

"That's enough."

Harris strode in with his brother Hamish. Grant and Merida were in silence,they squared off to one another, stony with anger. Although at that moment Merida felt more calm, now that her brother was here.

"I don't think Merida wrote that… Hubert." Harris walked up to the angry giant of a man and took the letter from him ,Hubert walked over to the bed and pulled a small journal from the mattress.

"That's mine…" Merida was red in the face , 'how did the boys know where her journal was hidden?'

"Och, Merida you always hide it in the same place." Hamish said dismissively, looking over the letter with a sneer. "I thought so." Hubert put Merida's journal in Harris's hand and he put the note and her opened book on the table. The righting was very different. Grant looked at the book then at Merida ,he was still stiff.

Hubert went around snooping, there in the ruffled sheets of the bed he found a purple ribbon.

"Why would someone wan' t' have Ian in yu'r room…" Grant was cold to Merida now. He was more asking her then asking the question to himself. She just looked back at him with the same cold look.

"I have an idea." Harris smiled walking over to Hubert by the bed.

There in his hand he held up a pretty purple lace ribbon. Not many people could afford something like that. And anyone could see it did not belong to the warrior princess.

Grant recognized it right away. Harris saw the color drain from Lord MacGuffin's face and he held it out for Grant to see.

Grant grabbed it and went for the door, but Harris jumped infront of him.

"Im go' to talk to Bridget."

"Aye you can do tha! But not right now."Harris smiled holding out his arms so Grant could not pass.

Grant was about to push Harris away but Merida called out to him .

"Listen to him , please Grant, the Boy's'r verrry smart." She rarely complimented her brothers but that did not mean she did not think highly of them.

"You have to catch a rat w' a rat. And you hav' two of em right here." Harris closed the door behind him and leaned his back against it addressing his small audience. " I hav' a feeling Rabbie is behind all' o this. I think that Ian is innocent, and Bridget may still be." Grant looked up hopefully he had spent many summers with his Bridget. He did have feelings for Merida but everyone in the room was aware he put honor before anything, even his own emotions. "We can fix this easily all Merida has't' do-"

"Me? I didnea even cause this!"

"Merida-" Harris continued " Will talk to Rabbie and get him to meet her at the docks tonight." There would be thick fog near the lake and many people could sit and listen in close proximity without being noticed. " I also want to talk to our Bonnie Bridget."

"Why her?" Hubert wrinkled his nose.

"Because Rabbie is behind this somehow. I can feel it in my guts. And if we can get them to meet something might just slip." Harris gritted his teeth. " what exactly did you see Merida."

The three boys looked at her , she felt uncomfortable. "Well, aye …. Ian was stark naked at the foot of the bed ." she motioned to the space just behind her where he had been standing. " an on the bed was Bridget." Merida looked over at Grant. "im sorry-"

"When w're y' goin' t' tell me?" Grant growled at her, Merida's eyes darted away from him in shame.

"I was goin t'"

"Were y'now… truthly ?" Grant was hurt beyond words. He felt he was being betrayed by both of the women he loved.

" We c'n talk about that later. Hubert will pack your bags , The ships will sail t'morrow. Sis' y' should find Rabbie, we can look for Bridget " Merida nodded at Harris, she looked at Grant with great sorrow in her eyes. Merida looked away from Lord MacGuffin walking towards Harris who held the door for her.

"Hey." Merida was about to leave when her brother stopped her. "This is nea yr fault." Harris hugged her around the neck with one arm as he whispered the words into her red mane, givving her a small kiss atop of her head. "now get."

Grant looked at the Princes of Clan Dunbroch, he moved to leave.

"Lord MacGuffin." Hubert addressed him and he paused in the door way. "Whatever happened here on our mothers dear heart, it was not Meridas doin."

The lord turned softened by this vow. He believed it, but was still hurt she would keep a secret like that from him. Grant nodded in a sign on understanding." Aye will be at the doc's t'night." Then he left.

Merida was shaken by what had just happened. ' An' to think this could be Rabbies doing…' she went down the spiral stair case. But how did she feel?

She was thinking back on all the times she noticed Grant watching her and how she turned away knowing he wanted her to never be around him again.

She knew Grant was faithful to Bridget and without a doubt he would tell Bridget he kissed another. But that was his last kiss he would ever give Merida. And it was her first. There was no shortage of men who wanted to kiss her, but Grant was the first man she let kiss her. 'Why did aye let him?' Merida weakly said to herself? Was it because of the story of Angus Og? Was it because she saved him, fought by his side, felt safe with him even in his anger she knew he would never hurt her. It could have been all of those things. But it was over before it even started. 'There was no chance, fate could not be changed. Could it? No-'Merida had changed her fate once before , but look what that had gotten her. The clans were in shattered pieces. She was not blind to the fact she would have to marry one day. 'Maybe soon. But to who?'Grant would never be hers, there was Ian and Rabbie left. She felt bleak about her two choices. "Whoot am I go'n t' do?"

Rabbie was reading in the scroll room. He looked up at her and smiled like a snake would. Merida Approached.

"Young lord Dingwall."

"Rabbie-" He interrupted.

"Aye, Rabbie" She cleared her throat. "I wish to have your company . Tonight at the doc's "

"and what is this about?"

"this is about our clans. That is as much as' Aye will' say." She looked serious. Rabbie nodded not being able to contain his smile. 'she must have found Ian in her room with the girl…'

He was certain now with Ian out of the picture this meeting with Merida was about a future relationship.

Sadly Rabbie was seldom wrong.


	13. Chapter 13

Merida walked out to the loc, to wait for her brothers. It was approaching dark, Merida had asked Rabbie to meet her a little after night fall.

But she was there alone. Merida was past the pasture land and she sat listening to the boats knock against the docks softly.

She looked towards the darkening forest. There, was a small blue light.

Merida was not afraid anymore, the blue flame beckoned her.

There was something it wanted her to do… or to see.

Merida looked back at the castle as she walked towards the woods. Her brothers always told her not to run away. But this time she was owning up to her fate , whatever that may be.

She wore the tartan dress her sash doubled as a scarf or a shawl and it was draped over both of her shoulders fastened with a Bear pin. Merida took her bow off her shoulder and attached the wooden shoulder staff to it . She was ready to draw even with her cast.

The forest was becoming dusky but there was still lots of light in the forest. Merida followed the lights in silence. Bow half heartedly drawn. Every time she drew closer to a wisp it would fade with a few notes of a reed flute, then another one would appear. She had walked for some time and came over a forested hill that overlooked a small stream.

There were no more wisps.

Or was there?

She heard the tinkling of small bells. Something by the water was moving. It looked like an old man , but something was off. He was Smaller then Merida and though he faced towards the stream his skin was a sickly gray green. She drew closer , the man wore a coat of river shells and it made a tinkering noise. He was in distress and his movements were sharp made the cloak on his back rustle, and jingle.

He jumped around unexpectedly wildly looking around , but his eyes had mooned over. He fumbled around ,in spite of his blindness Merida hid.

The creature looked far older then any man she had ever seen, he was soaked to the bone but it looked as if he did not mind. The man in the cloak of river shells smelled the air deeply.

Tá an duine teacht chun mharú dom ( a human has come to kill me)

He spoke in Gaelic … Merida understood it but it was an ancient dialect. He knew she was here and she jumped from behind the tree , the Shelly coat went for his bags of things -and arrow almost took his hand clean off. The Arrow leapt from Merida's bow and skewered his bag of things, he shrieked in fear.

The creature reached into his coat and pulled forth a handful of gold jewelry, most of it looked older then the castles she lived in. he knelt and she approached bow fletched with another arrow.

"I hav' never seen a shelly coat before." Merida marveled at the old river spirit.

Tóg an óir saoire dom a rith ó anseo (Take the gold leave me to run from here)

" why are you running?...Dom a rith o anseo? What is there to run from?"

The shelly coat reached for his things fumbling with some difficulty of seeing. His voice was like a cold stream, he talked like a brook trout would. In his voice she could feel his fear.

mo shúile go bhfuil siad imithe ach is léir domsa mar an lá. thagann dorchadas (my eyes have gone but it is clear to me as the day. a darkness comes)

He picked up his things and made a leap into the water Merida followed "Wait!" she made it up to her knees ,there was a drop off in the water and the Shelly coat was now just a floating blind head. his hair like seaweed sticking to his face and fanning out in the water around him. He whimpered up to her .

dhéanamh mar a dhéanann ár tíre. lorg áit a cheilt, nó a reáchtáil. none maireachtáil Crom, gruaig rua (do as our folk do. seek a place to hide, or run. none will survive crom ,red hair)

"Who is Crom?!" She yelled. The floating head came closer to her and lifted his shoulders out of the water. He beckoned her closer with a three fingered hand.

nach bhfuil tú maraíodh dom, agus ní raibh a chur ar mo óir seo beidh mé a thaispeáint duit an méid atá feicthe agam (you have not killed me, and did not take my gold. for this i will show you what i have seen)

With a long grey finger he swirled the dark waters in front of him it began to change in color. The small whirlpool began to glow.

There her eyes drew into the swirl of water. She saw darkness, a cave. And many many children. Something was wrong. They did not move , they lay still. Merida lost her breath . They were dead. Scores and scores of children. The ground was slick with a dark layer of pooling blood. So great the puddle she originally thought it was just the dark grass in the moonlight. Merida tried to pull away from the vision but couldn't it gripped her. Slowly from the cave there were eyes. black eyes that of a spider or a ratalmost as numberusasstars in the sky. Too many eyes to count. It all belonged to a great worm. The creature was that of a giant Eel or snake. It had no scales , and was slick , almost jet black , and shimmering in the moonlight. There was more then just human children on the ground. There was a shelly coat or two. Human adults , small babes, there were even creatures ; both human looking and non human laying on the ground. The only living thing she could see was Crom cruach and he was glad. She could feel it. Then he opened his mouth like the moon becomes full. There were uncountable rows of teeth. Merida had been in battles before but never had she seen this many people , and creatures, laying motionless. Suddenly she could see shadowy humans , they dragged more bodies not away from Crom , but to him. Humans were feeding him. Merida tried to closer her eyes but couldn't she tried to raise her bow or yell out, even that she could not do. The creature was of great size and he ravaged body after body. He would not be satisfied. Merida let loose tears soundlessly , the swirl slowed , the shelly coat was weeping , Merida stumbled ,falling to her knees in the stream. She was drenched but held her head above the water feeling as if she would get sick.

She was dizzy. Merida got up , and turned to get out of the water. She stumbled and fell multiple times, Her ears could still hear the Shelly coat wale behind her. Everything suffered under Crom.

The darkness it was awakening.

Merida sick to her core ran and nothing could compel her to stop.

itheann Crom Chruach ó thíos Rith! Rith! gruaig rua Rith

Crom cruach eats from below Run! Run! Run red hair

* * *

The triplet princes , plus Grant and Garret sat under the dry side of the dock.

Merida never showed up . So the men sat waiting for Rabbie to come to the dock. Darkness brought the fog.

They heard footsteps above them ; pacing. Afraid to betray their hiding spot the men sat in darkness , silence and mist.

After half an hour the man above them on the dock called out to a woman approaching.

"Merida ?" Rabbies voice called forth in a whisper.

"Haw, d' I look lik' a coo'?" Hamish went to stand up, woman or not no one calls his sister a cow. But Harris and Hamish both rested a hand on his shoulders and was coaxed to sit. Garret gave Grant a look that said " I told you she was a back hearted woman'. It was Bridget.

"That gamgie wine yu' gave me didnea work." Bridget cried. All eyes under the bridge looked at Grant. Lord MacGuffin was stoic. The men could not tell what he was feeling or thinking , he was like a stone.

"He drank a full Cup! An nothin , it may hav worked a bit, at fist, I think , but then he ran from me!"

'So Ian was innocent. ' Harris thought and Grant went to get up. 'no not yet!' He grabbed Grants arm and mouthed the word 'Wait' to him.

"Guess the Witch gave me a bad year… did you see Merida?" Rabbie had lied about the witch part. It was just normal wine from the castle. admitted to giving her the wine.

That's all they needed.

But before the men in hiding could approach the couple on the bridge, from the forest came a sound.

It was a long drawn out shriek followed by another and another

"A banshee…"Rabbie said out loud and ran towards the castle Bridget following after shortly.

The men crawled out from hiding .Garret was the only one with a long sword, thankfully oars were in great abundance. The men looked towards the screams.

"you cannea kill a banshee w't an orrr can ye?" Garret looked worried.

"wait , I know that voice." Hubert made a mad run to the sound , it was 200 yards into the forest he bolted across the field leading a charge of men oars and sword drawn.

Hubert looked around the dark forest floor , he was making circles now he could feel it. He stopped dead and tried to hear over his drumming heartbeat. There was whimpering. Someone was crying , transfixed on the noise he followed it to the base of a tree.

Hubert called the men to where he stood. "Come quick!" Hubert reached down in picked up a soggy bundle of cloths.

It was Merida.

"WE need to get t' the healer right away." Hubert lifted the limp woman to his chest and started for the castle. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him and then faster still. He had never seen his sister weep in such despair. She never once had screamed as she did. The men had dropped their oars and now followed Hubert to the healer in great haste.

Hubert had put Merida on his bed in the princes' room , she was pail , cold and shivering.

"Hamish make a bigger fire!" Hubert drew his dirk. 'What had happened to her? 'She was not bleeding, but one arrow was missing from her fletch. She fired a shot , and Merida seldom misses or shoots with no target.

"Whoot ar' ya doin?" Hamish looked up from the wood pile watching his brother with the knife beside his shivering sister.

"im gona cut her out of this dress, its soaked and she is gon' t' catch a cold. Tell Garret and Lord MacGuffin to leave." Harris and Hamish escorted the men out of the room. Grant was pacing, he had been incredibly rude to the princess. She was innocent in the dealings of Ian Macintosh and Bridget. 'What had happened out in the woods?' That question made his skin crawl. Now she seemed to be without wits. Sometimes this happened to ravaged women, the ones the Norsemen did not take on their ships. Garret watched his brother making fists and wringing his hands as he walked slowly in an oval.

Hamish was careful to only cut the ties of the dress that could be easily replaced no repairs to the dress needed. The dress was hung by the fire and the boys found her a long tunic. Then put another tunic on top trying to bring warmth to her icy flesh, she was blue in the lips now her shaking did not stop.

Harris opened the door to the MacGuffin Clansman, Hamish stepped out and started to run down the hallway in the direction of the sick hall. He was going to fetch the healer.

"yu' can come in now she is decent." Grant walked closer to the pail face in the middle of waves of damp red hair. She was shaking , and whimpering. He never felt as bad as he did then about himself. The guilt was heavy, he was hiding under a bridge to see if Bridget was double crossing him. He always knew in his heart she was not as honest as she made herself out to be. But what was more important? The loss of a skilled warrior or spying on a dishonest woman. Not to mention all that he felt before, what he had confessed to Merida. To think of the loss of her was to think of his own heart dyeing.

He did not realise it up until this very moment, but his feelings were not something that was going to go away. They never did go away and he doubt that they ever would. He spent much time denying them and pushing her away, trying to keep his dads choice of bride sacred after his death. But after tonight , how Bridget had acted. He would not keep up with this charade any longer. Sadly It seemed too late to realise his feeling for Merida were real. Grant held back tears as his younger brother Garret patted him on the back.

"shis havin ah bad dreeem." Grant said solemnly to Garret and reached out to her.

For the second time in his life he touched her curls brushing them away from her forehead. Merida seemed slightly comforted by the touch of his large hands. Lord MacGuffin was being watched by Harris and Hubert like a pair of hawks, as they stood on the opposite side of the bed.

The healer was a healthy round woman in her later years with rosy red cheeks and a demeanor of a captain of an army or men.

"ot' o' t' way , yu' can wait outside, or not at all." She rolled up her sleeves, and the men were pushed out in a hurry.

A few moments later the Strong armed Healer appeared at the door of the princes room. Four men waited and Garret had fallen asleep against the stone wall of the hallway.

"She has shock. She will bee fin'e bu her mind is ill. much moor I cannea do there. Whate'vr happened t' her was a-bit-too-much fur her."

Harris stopped Grant from entering the room. "Get, your brother to bed, we will look after her tonight." With that the Triplets moved into the room sleepily as the Healer bustled down the hallway.

Grant shook his brother awake and the MacGuffin brothers made it back to their own beds.


	14. Chapter 14

When Merida awoke her king sat beside her.

"Mornn' lamb."

"Da'"

"They say y' fell in a vatn (freshwater lake)-"

The princess grabbed her dads hand.

"listen', Da' last night I followed the wisps, into the forrrst, they lead me-"

"Merida,donea tell me-" The king looked with tired eyes onto his only daughter.

"The led me to a -a place , where I sa a vision." The Bear king sat down in all serious. His large eyebrows lifted in worry, and his face softened. His daughter showed true fear in her eyes.

" Long long ago there wa's a grreat evil. Did you know of this?" Merida searched his green eyes, looking for comfort but she was greeted with worry and sorrow.

Her father stood up. Looking around the room the guards were far enough away to not hear their whispers , and the king drew closer.

"Merida- what did'ya see?" Visions were important and the king kneeled at the bed his one good knee resting on the floor. Merida held his hand tighter wishing she did not have to tell her dad what she had seen.

"There was a monster, its very old. He has many eyes and rows of teeth. He eats our peeple Da'…"

"Crom…"Her fathers voice was like distant thunder. Generations ago, people worshiped him, the great worm Crom Cruach. They gave out of fear one third of all the children to Crom so they would have a good harvest and not starve. But this was an ancient god. People had fled his worship and he was believed dead. Most of the lords knew Crom through the studies of clan history. Though it was ancient history.

"He is comin Da'" Fergus did not grow pail, he was calculating searching her face and pat her hand.

"I need t' go with you t' castle Macinto-"

"Merida" Her father growled.

"I'm the on'hly one who knows where Crom is." She gripped her fathers hand with all her might and stared at him. "There was one mor' thing Da. Men among us ,they ar' feedin him." She did not weep , But her eyes rimed with tears. She fought them back. The King watched her and shook his head, he knew she would not lie about this.

" I forbit yu' t' tell anyone." Fergus Dunbroch got up. Using the bed to help him. " You can come with us Daughter." He released her hand and she started to get out of bed, her bags had been packed but she needed to get dressed. With that King Fergus turned to leave. "I lov ya' Daughter."

"Da',I lov' you tooo.'" Merida said choking back emotion and looked up with slight bags under her eyes. She had barely avoided a cold or fever from the hypothermia.

After the king left she was alone and slowly Merida got dressed.

* * *

Lord Grant MacGuffin was at the docs that morning. He loved going out to sea. Though he would be going North His younger brother Garret would be staying behind. If something were to happen Garret would be the new Lord of castle MacGuffin. Grant wore his long braid in a new fashion , it looked like a thick cord of rope. He wore his fathers armor ,and broad sword at his back. The men were excited for the trip, they were planning a large war to be fought in the north. Many of the men wanted a death that would be made into song, and it seemed this would be the only chance of a great battle, the greatest they would ever live to hear about., and therefor their own immortality.

Grant would be sailing his own ship today but more then anything he wanted to impress today. He had not been acting like a Lord should to the Princess. Last night changed everything. He was a new man with a clear purpose. He stood at the rudder of the ship. The great wooden steering staff the Tiller was made from an oaks heart. It was stronger then metal some said. Lord MacGuffin ran his hand along it , he enjoyed steering the ship, and he was looking forward to the trip.

A beautiful woman walked up the docks her black hair streaming behind her. She wore a tartan from her own clan, it bustled forward. Her angry steps approached MacGuffin from behind and the sailors and warriors eyed their lord and the future lady of MacGuffin.

"Whot is this ,m' love." Bridget looked up at MacGuffin who walked to the side of the boat to look down at her.

"Im goin nurth."

"I thot- we-" She put her hand at her waist and raised a eyebrow at him . This is how she started all of her fights. But today he was unfazed.

""WE'" ar'nea the Lurd Here. Aye'am." Grant's tone was 'matter of fact' and he was stone cold towards her. Bridget began to get nervous. "yu ar' m' Brid-in ( a live in bride for a year and a day). Now' I hav' not ben honest whit yah. I Have kisst another." Bridget was bright red with anger and vsibly gritting her teeth. She went to board the ship. "Wr'ng shp Lass." Grant pointed to the one behind her stopping Bridgit dead in her tracks. Grant walked towards her joining Bridget on a plank between the ship and the dock , barring her from getting on the ship. "Y'r go'in t' be on thah one today an go'in back hoom."

"You dishonest-" She raised her hand to slap him but he caught her wrist holding on firmly. In his other hand he held out a ribbon Bridget recognised as the one she lost.

"Shu'd I pen yu'r family a lettr?"

"What is- tha." Bridget went from bright red to pale and cold with fear.

"I Goht it Frum Th' prrrrincesses b'd" MacGuffin kept his overwhelming anger at bay. " Bridgit y' mak m' Seeck ( sick) t' th' stumac, he'rin what you did wit' Ian Macintosh."

Bridget looked like a wild animal caught in a cage.' There was no way he could have known'.

"Y' Hav' Nea proof!" She bit back at him.

" STOP IT !" Grant yelled , many eyes watched them. Lord MacGuffin was known to be fair and kind this was unseen behavior. He lowered his voice to a harsh whisper. " Our Princess seen eve'ry thin."

"HAW! Y'r goin to beliv' that- that -" Grant bore his teeth at her and shook his head at what she was about to say as a warning. But his Bridget was not known to be greatly blessed with brains. " That Doaty Schunner of an old maid!"

"Last night y' wer at the doc's talking to Rabbie Dingwall. I heard e'vry thin'. Geet-un-th'e- boat." He raised a large arm and his finger pointed at smaller ship a dock over. " Say an'uther word. An I'll mack su'r e'eryone will ken(know) whoot you did."

She was beat ,Bridgit sneered at him and started to walk away but stalled. She drew closer again to Grant.

"how Dafty can ye' be? I hav' heard about her Grant. She will ne'r love ye' , Merida would have you disgraced and alone like she did before. " Bridget laughed in his face. With that she left giggling to herself, and boarded the ship heading to the west.

Grant thought about that for a long time. Bridget was possibly right, but now he would have a chance to be near Merida again. Grant thought back about the feel of her red curls , even if that was all he ever had it was strangely enough. Something had happened to Merida in the woods last night, maybe if he kept her closer to him. Grant felt he did not do enough to protect Merida. He had not seen or heard of anything so far from The Dunbroch family. The warriors were getting ready to leave and the docks were bursting with activity. Lord MacGuffin rubbed the back of his neck with worry thinking about what could have made Merida shriek the way she did.

* * *

That afternoon the bear ships sailed north. With them sailed the ships of two other clans, they had become a fleet. The battle against the Norsemen was going to be fought at castle Macintosh.

Merida had to get a new cast due to the fall she had last night, in the water. She had been distant since she had seen the vison of Crom Cruach; it had followed her like a dark cloud. It was not so much the carnage it was the idea that men would serve him. She stood where she always stood. At the helm of the ship looking onwards. Merida looked forward, that is to say north towards Castle Macintosh. It was the first time she would be there, and Ian looked like he was going to burst from excitement.

In Ian Macintosh's mind they where going to be on his territory, where he was the young lord and adored by many. The thought of showing Merida all the women that swooned over him and all the men that looked up to him was too much to handle. ' Finally-' He thought . "She is going to see me as who I really am!" She had seen too much of Ian already. Merida also already knew who Ian really was. He was selfish, full of himself, and of short temper. But he had also been caring in his own way, she did not like to admit it but she was in need of someone to talk to that was not family.

Merida blinked at the sea spray as it misted her face. Her nights were sleepless with nightmares, she did not get much rest. Ian had joined them on the kings ship for this leg of the journey. He approached her. Ian had boarded her ship the last time the stopped, to beach themselves on shore at night.

"How is the veiw? Excited to see the highlands , everyone is."

"Ian I have not been in the best of spirits-" She could not get the courage to look him in the eye just yet ether. Ian's body was nice enough , there was a reason why the girls feel over themselves for him. That being said Merida was caught off guard by the sight of him . His very pail skin unclothed at the foot of her bed was going to take a while to forget. Not because she had a want for him , but for the most part of her life she had no interest in men, therefore did not see many naked bodies. "-I'll try not to be coarse with you." She said with a half smile.

"Aye, weel your spirits would be heightened as soon as we get closer rest asuurrred." Ian was hopping around like a spring frog. Merida was more quiet then usual. Even Ian Macintosh had seen it , and that was saying something.

Ian went on to tell Merida all that could be seen and about the fun that could be had at Clan Macintosh's castle.

His bubbly attitude made her forget a bit of how she was feeling and she cracked a smile now and then at his exited movements and storytelling. She needed a good chuckle.

"-An- that is a bonnie color on yu." with that last compliment and a over exaggerated wink Ian left. His dad Innis chuckled. Lord Dingwall rolled his eyes and walked away, being a known poor looser.

The dress Ian Macintosh was referring too was a new one she was just gifted. It was much different from the tartan dress. Much more like the blue dress her own mother had sewn for her. The thought of her mother made her a bit homesick, Merida touched the green turquoise fabric of the garment. Early that morning , before they left castle MacGuffin a breathtaking woman in a cloak had given a parcel to Merida. It was The Lady MacGuffin. Merida remembered their conversation well.

* * *

'So this is Merida princess of Dunbroch. ' Lightly The lady lifted Meridas chin so they locked eyes. 'You are as beautiful as the stories say.' coming from a woman of great grace Merida blushed.

"Thankyou lady MacGuffin"

"you can call me Gillian, will you promise me to take care of my boys?" The lady withdrew her hand from Merida's chin and took her hand in her own firmly and softly. She was talking about her clansmen; nephews and cousins .

"Aye , I will, the will have my bow." with that Gillian smiled.

"thank you my princess-" She kissed Merida on her cheek. The princess was in fact missing her own mother dearly and she hugged Lady MacGuffin rather unexpectedly. And the woman wrapped her arms around the tired redhead.

The Lady MacGuffin pulled away and with light green eyes she looked down into Merida's blue ones.

"they say you had quite the night last night, someone said they heard a banshee, but it was not a banshee was it?" the lady looked into her eyes with a reassuring calm. " what ever you saw out-there in th' woods. Keep it from my Son." It was almost scary how perceptive this woman was.

"Aye, I'll do thah"

Merida had waved goodbye to the thin lady at the docs as the boats pulled away. She knew there was much more waiting for them then the Norsemen. She would never betray her King's word , or her fathers. So the secret would stay with her.

* * *

She went back to focusing on the sea, and for much of there journey she was quite.

" I think w' shu'd tell her or' call it all of." Hamish watched his sister sharpening a sword. He did that when something was bothering him, but for the most part he was not very good at sharpening anything.

"Not now-"Harris shook his head.

"Why not?" Hubert looked at his sister with worry in his eyes. She was not herself after they had carried her from the forest. She had talked to their father but after that no-one knew much else what happened, or of who she had met in the shadows under the leaves.

"Because we' need t' be fi'gtin togethe'r. T' bet is the only thing keeping the Clans froom tearin eachother apart again."

"And woot happens when she dos'nea pick anywon?" Hamish hissed at his brother looking as if he was going to throw the wetting stone at his brothers head.

"Hopefuly we will still b' still li'vn by then, and that's wheen we can deel wit it." Harris looked at his brother with serious eyes. Hubert looked pail, and Hamish looked up still defiant. "We cannea win divided."


	15. Chapter 15

The Scottish highlands in the north were more jagged rock then the rolling hills of the land in the south.

the fog was almost a constant blanket on the water and low valleys giving way to the rocky cliffs. It was a world of mist and shadows. The Fair folk , or the Tuatha Dé Danann, lived here in ancient times.

Where Castle MacGuffin was set in the middle of a lake surrounded by large hills, Castle Macintosh was set upon a cliff.

They would need to walk a long gradual hill to enter the gates.

The great many ships landed and almost uncountable warriors began preparing. The war would be fought here and there was immediate celebration of a journey ending and preparations to be made of a war coming. The next few days were all excitement and festivities paired with hard labor and planning. The four Clans could move mountains when they came together.

Merida looked down at her healing arm. The cast was removed , and the arm was tender so she still used her wooden bow brace. In her mind there was no way to defeat the great monster that now hunted her in her dreams. But last night changed things. Merida dreamed of a woman , she was tall and beautiful and with her came her children. They shone from within it seemed and with them on their ships they brought great gifts. She had never seen such beautiful things , save one she recognized. Clan MacGuffin was said to have in possession a magic cauldron that could cook a meal for thousands of men in one pot, and in her dream she had seen it. The Cauldron was carried upon the backs of these gods as they unloaded their boats on shore. The great goddess drove back the darkness from the land and as she moved forward it hid. Danu was of the purest light and her eyes shone as a sea of crystals. In Merida's dream Danu cast the great worm Crom to cower and hide , and so he has hid in caves. Then Danu smiled and turned to face the small woman with a bow in her hand. There the beautiful woman pointed to her cauldron , and Merida woke.

Whatever the dream meant, or whether or not it came as a vision from the gods, the Cauldron was a key. That is why this morning she asked her brothers to come with her to see the Lord of Castle MacGuffin. Merida was poring over her gifts from Ian Macintosh. They had almost overwhelmed her room and herself. Merida had yet to tell Ian of what she had come across when she opened her bedroom door at clan MacGuffin. She had bided her time until she felt it was the right moment , but the right moment never came. She had been too lost in her thoughts so much so that healers had been called to see her. But non of them could heal her dreams. She had pulled a thick cotton dress with a faint tartan pattern woven into the fabric. It was light green with golden threads and a blue hem. Her three brothers knocked on the door and she let them enter as soon as she slipped the garment over her red curls covering her under gown.

The boys had grown into their own different men. One could see this by how they entered Merida's room while she busied herself tightening her dress. Harris was the first to walk in and he commanded the room with his long strides taking up the center of her floor rug. Hubert strolled in happily after him finding a chair to place himself in and worked away at a knife handle he had carved. Hubert's eyes darted up once in a while , it was no mistake to assume he was just as smart as Harris , but he was a prankster. Hamish took to being the back of the group closing the door behind him and standing next to it his back against the wall, hand on the hilt of his sword. Hamish had grown into a serious Blackthorn, Hubert into a laughing willow and Harris a regal oak. Harris opened his mouth but his elder sister spoke first.

"You are coming with me to see Lord MacGuffin."

"Why is that- we h'av bettrr things to do-" Hamish protested but Harris looked back at him and shook his head. The four clans for the first time had been working together for the first time against a common enemy from the north. There was many things that still had to be built or overseen. The boys plan had worked out so far. They had made the Lords of the Clans make a secret bet; whoever's son won the hand of Merida would win a great treasure, the losers would have to come to terms with the outcome peacefully. At this moment it looked as if Ian Macintosh would win.

"I had a dream last night." Merida smoothed out her dress with her hands and put her bow over her head and across her chest. "In that dream I saw the great cauldron from clan MacGuffin. You know I have been-sick-for a while" She said the word 'sick' slowly. There was nothing physically wrong with her but the boys had knows about her nigh terrors. Hubert put his woodworking down to look up at his sister. "I feel like it can give me som' ansers, an maybe some sleep."

"Aye." Harris nodded in agreement , he had been suffering from the secret bet , kept behind Merida's back. He found he was ready to do anything for his sister to alleviate any pain that burdened her. Harris' own triplet brothers wished to tell their sister of the bet and he was the only one in their way that kept them from doing so. The reality of the Clans being burned to the ground because of their division between one another was a bigger problem. As Harris had seen it, he would need to have a large army to keep his family safe, at the cost of Merida's hand was a small price. Although he had been deep in thought for many days on how to worm his way out of the bet after they had defeated the men from the north. It was still in the works.

"We hav' been pulled frum the troops because sh' wants a Chamber pot?!" Hamish threw his hands down at his sides in dramatic frustration. Hubert gave out a laugh but stopped when he looked at Harris and Merida's scowl. He quickly went back to twiddling the wooden knife handle in his hands.

"Aye th'nk Lord MacGuffin is still in the map ruum." Harris turned to his sister with empathy in his eyes. "He shud be there fu'r a while." Merida nodded and the Bear Kings brood made their way through Castle Macintosh to the map room.

* * *

Lord MacGuffin was looking over the scrolls of parchment in front of him. The past two weeks he threw himself into matters of war preparation. After he had treated Merida so poorly , he could not bare to approach her. All this time she had not seen him once , barely being seen in the court, always in the woods or in her room. Stories were rampant about her and Ian. How she left early in the mornings to go out riding with the young Lord Macintosh. Ian only added to the stories and Grant could not tell if they were real or not. The whole thing made him feel sick , so he busied himself with things he could control. So when he saw Merida enter the room he nearly upset the great table in front of him as he hurried to stand at attention. Grant motioned at his men to be dismissed as his eyes fell on the woman at the door. Her red hair fell over a light mossy dress and the gold in her eyes matched the threads of gold she wore . But in a corner of the room one person did not move to leave , but stayed , watching.

"Meri- Cr'wn Prrincess-" He stumbled over his words. What should he call her? She had tolled him not to call her Princess when she pulled him from the lake. Then again they were not close any more, so first names were out of the question. Merida put an end to his fumbling words.

"Grant MacGuffin I hav' come t' ask you a favor. I had a dream last night." She looked serious and there was a wanting in her eyes. Grant had to have been dreaming.

"Merida -" He was without words for a whole different reason now. Had she been dreaming of him as he was of her? Grant gently pushed back his chair and went to take a step towards her, when in behind her from the open door were her three brothers. No , this was not about Himself and the Princess. His heart fell but not fully, as she was standing in front of him addressing him with respect. This was the first time he had put his eyes upon her and Grant would take it all in , as much as he could.

"Aye, u' Kan H've Any'thin I can gi'v freely." Grant meant it. She pointed to his chest and his heart stopped. Slowly she moved towards him, her brothers entered the room and closed the door. Merida walked right up to Grant who was as still as a deer listening in the woods. He could see her eyes a bit darkened with lack of sleep , but she was not looking at him she reached out and touched his clan crest On a pin over his heart. It felt like his heart would burst he watched her touch the silver crest pin with small but sturdy fingers.

"I need this." Merida sighed." can I have' it ?"

"My-Pin? Whoot is this aboot ?" he reached up to hold her hand in his but she drew back as soon as he got close.

"Not the pin , the cauldron. I ha' a dreem aboot it. " She took some steeps back and walked over to the table. "I think tha' if I can see it I may ha'v som peace." Merida looked down at the maps in front of her, as Lord MacGuffin watched her, her brothers watched Grant , and eyes from the far side of the room watched all of them.

"I's in m' room.-but I Canne-" Grant was about to protest weakly. He could not give her such an ancient item.

"I can show you where it is -" The five young adults looked up , the room had a inlet that was covered by a curtain. That was where all the old books were kept, and the keeper of those books approached them. A small think woman walked towards them with bare feet. She did not wear a tartan but many layers of fine cotton cloth draped over her body and floor length hair. Her silver hair was pin strait with black threads of the color it was before, it was perfectly combed and smelled strongly of sage.

Hamish went to draw his sword but Harris put an arm on his brother.

"That's the Druid."

* * *

The woman smiled and walked passed MacGuffin ,and up to Merida. The Druid looked up at her and held her shoulder.

"Its about time we met. Come- lets put an end to this." Merida watched the old woman and nodding slowly she followed the old woman to MacGuffins room, the boys following quickly behind.

The old woman and the princess walked far enough ahead that the men behind them could not hear their whispers.

"You wen't doon to the lake. The wisps led yu…" The old woman was holding the princesses arm as they walked. Merida nodded yes. "An there u' met som-…thing"

"A shelly coat. He called himself." Merida felt like she was dreaming, the woman was reading her thoughts and she could feel it.

"Donea fear them, they are few now , but harmless as a brook trout. I'm surprised he didnea see yu' first an hid himself away." The woman was as comforting as the best of healers. But there was magic rooted in her very bones. "Why is that?"

In Merida's mind she remembered that night, but she was sharing her memory as she remembered it. She could feel the woman's eyes watching her thoughts, her memories, she was frightened but walked forward still to MacGuffins room. Her brothers watching intently behind her. She showed no signs of discomfort as she walked ahead of them but they eyed the old woman with great caution. There were hardly any druids left, and this was the first one they had seen.

Then came the part where the shelly coat turned the water and in it a vision of Crom Cruach grew. The old woman grabbed Merida's arm with a painful grip and gasped. She released Merida quickly.

"So- it is true. I am so sorry lass." The old woman was shaken but looked forward they had arrived at the door of Grants room. Grant opened the door. " come-Delays are dangerous"

The woman glided to a great chest. She opened the latch even though Grant remembered locking it, and inside was the cauldron. "Fill it."

"What?" Hamish piped up.

"With water and set to boil. " The woman sat down in a chair in the room patting the chair beside her ,looking at Merida. The red haired woman got the hint and obediently , though with slight mistrust , she sat down.

* * *

The men busied themselves caring water and setting the Cauldron into the hearth. They began to fill the cauldron though it took almost an hour to complete the task.

All the while the Druid watched at her chair, she rubbed her forefinger and thumb together slowly as she waited, deep in thought.

Merida looked over to the woman beside her ; she had soft features , her kindness was apparent on her face. The Druids long hair reached the floor and was covered by almost transparent thin white cloth and topped by a circlet of brass upon her head.

"The Goddess brought this gift to us with her own hands. She made it so it is apart of her still." The woman in the white vial addressed Merida and took her hand as she watched the pot heat in the flames.

"I have heard from a woodcarver that you had changed something -"

"I did not mean to change m' mum in'tu a bear-"

"My little sapling , that is not the change I was referring to. Your fate was written , and you had changed that. Are you sure you came here to just be an archer?" The old woman's voice was as soft as the falling leaves that covered the forest floor outside of the castle.

"I have seen the outcome of this battle." The woman breathed the whisper to Merida unheard to any other ears. There was a sudden great sadness on her face, and it frightened the Warrior. 'What did she see?' Then again maybe Merida did not want to know. Her hand was gripped harder by the woman.

"we need a change of fate. The dream you had about Danu's great Cauldron , maybe the great mother has the answer. But the message is not for me though I may be able to help you , read it." The Druid took her hand from the red haired princess and started to thoughtfully fidget a stone ring upon her thin hand.

The cauldron was at a roaring boil over the hearth in the room , it almost filled the entire fireplace. The Druid stirred the water happily with a wooden spoon as the very confused eyes looked on.

"I need you lass. Yu' wan the dreams t' stop?" She did not look away from the water but motioned for the princess to come closer. Merida walked over to the fireplace and sat beside the small woman tending the pot.

The princesses eyes lay on the water, the bubbles bounced up happily and she drew closer still till she was beside the priestess. In one hard motion the priestess grabbed the red head by her hair and before she had time to scream Merida's head was held under the boiling water. But the water did not sear her flesh. It felt cool. In that moment she opened her eyes.

There was a great decimation. Her clansmen over run. The castles were on fire and norseman's ships filled with woman and gold. And Merida stood unseen to all around her in the aftermath of battle. She was heartbroken. But then there was a woman. Her beauty was not overwhelming but her presence was, and she smiled and saw Merida looking into her blue eyes with her own crystal ones. There was no wind but the woman's vail moved gently over her smiling face. With a silver clothed arm she pointed to the forest. To a cave , within the darkness many eyes shone. It was Crom. The woman moved her hands in front of her in slow circles as if she was winding yarn in her arms. And Time around them Reversed. The castles stood un-burned , the Norseman's ships unpacked their treasures and returned backwards back over the sea. Danu stopped winding the yarns of time and looked once more at Merida. "Fate changer. To save them you must bring the darkness with you. You must-"

Merida was pulled from the water. She could hear screaming around her, Her brothers voices.

"Stop!" Merida wiped away the water from her eyes as great hands grabbed her. She looked up pushing her red mop of wet hair out of the way , MacGuffin's concerned face looked her over with fear.

"Sh' isnea hurt!" Lord MacGuffin yelled over at the Triplets who had there daggers drawn; Hamish his long sword facing the Druid woman , her back against a wall. Merida scrambled to her feet with Grant's help.

"No stop. She didnea hurt me." Harris ran over to his sister seeing her body unharmed from the cauldron. Hubert followed his eldest brother but Hamish stood on guard still gripping his long sword.

"Sh's a Witch! Noot a Druid!" She did not doubt that he would cut the woman's head off.

"No Hamish!" Merida lightly pushed her worried brothers away walking towards Hamish forcefully making him drop his sword and his eyes from the Elderly woman.

"I know now. The dreams will not hurt me anymore. I know what I have to do." She reached up and took Hamish's face in her hands and made him look her in the eye. He broke and dropped his sword with a painful clang on the stone floor, and wrapped his sister into his strong arms.

"We Cannea du it an'moor Merida, we cannea see ye' suffer any'moor." He was shaking with emotion.

"I ken I ken, wee bear." She whispered, rubbing his back trying to calm him. The men in the room had been shaken much more by the actions of the Druid then Merida was of her vision of the goddess. "-but I know now." Merida had lied at the expense of reassuring her brothers, but she had a sign of what needed to be done.


	16. Chapter 16

Rabbie Dingwall stood beside his father on the west wall of Castle Macintosh. With them they had brought over 300 warriors who were now digging trenches in front of them. The clan was known to be Great sailors so trench work was not ideal. But Clan Macintosh had set it upon themselves to over see the ship building and repairing, promising that they would switch duties with them in a weeks time. Samhain was nearing it was almost the end of fall.

* * *

After Merida had dried her hair somewhat and had a change of cloths, she wished to get back to her old self. She had spent much time in her own thoughts. It was very uncharacteristic of her, Merida was a warrior she did not just sit around. But that is exactly what she had done, since her visions of Crom Cruach haunted her. In every dream until yesterday she tried to defeat him and lost. But that was before her encounter with the Mother Goddess. She had not told anyone of what she saw in the cauldron only that her nightmares would never come back. And she had not lied , last night she slept soundly , so much so she almost slept the whole day away. Merida did not dare question what she saw, for the new hope inside of her was so precious, not just to herself but her people. No , she must believe in it. Just like how the Goddess turned back the fates : the fate of the Clans loosening to the Norsemen. There was time, right now, to change things. 'Fate Changer.' That is what Danu had called her. She could have been hallucinating from lack of sleep , but now she was rested and ready for the battle ahead. All of this time she had been riding in the forest lost in her own mind or pent up in her room. It was time for a bit of self redemption. So the stables were the first place to look.

* * *

"Aye , need ur' fastest horse."

"It belongs t' Young lord Macintosh." The stable master was shaking in his boots. He was set with a doomed situation. Feel the wrath of Ian Macintosh or Say 'no' To the crowned Princess. The poor man looked like he was going to cry as Merida stood hands on her hips in front of him.

"Th'a isnea th' fastest hurs…" A small stable hand covered in grime squeaked. He had black hair that had been cut at random lengths with ( someone could only assume) a very dull knife.

"Aye then wee man! Show um t' me." Merida turned her attention to the real master of the stables. Yes the cowering Tall man was just a worker with a tittle, the one who knew the most about the horses here were the stable hands.

"tha' one…we cu'ld nea geet neer um' tu…weel u knew , to clip his -"

"Aye I know whoot you mean-" 'Baws' He was a stallion not a gelding. He was so wild they could not get close enough to castrate him, to somewhat tame him, so he grew even wilder. Merida was also untamed , this could be a good match if she could get near him without the horse killing her.

"we wer goin to throw him oer the cliffs. He almost killed every rider tha' tryied t' taim him."

"How much?"

"For you princess he' is free." The Stable master joined the boy and the Steady Young woman as they peered into the stall. The horse was foaming at the nostrils and kicking the stall walls with both back hooves in repetition. He was a monster and Merida loved it. "Ar- ya' goin to cook him?" The tall man looked relieved to not have to deal with this devil horse again.

"Im' goi'n t' ride him. boy. Ur name…"

"Eves" The blue eyed boy looked like a full blooded Pict from Clan Macintosh , but with a name like Eves he must have had a norseman father. She smiled down at him, most of the children conceived during the raids were treated poorly. But it was not their fault where they came from. Merida found her stable hand.

"How would you like t' be my Squire? " Now it was the boys turn to brim at the eyes with tears.

"M-My Princess?" he wiped hard at his eyes with his sleeve.

"Call m'e Merrida, now fetch m' hurse." She pointed at the stallion raging in his stall. " let em out o t' the pen."

* * *

Hamish Was waiting for her as she came up the stairs he looked more serious then usual, his face was half hidden in the shadows. He wore the dark blue green tartan of her clan , plus a fall woolen coat, of a dark color.

"Merida -" She stepped back a little, he had come out of no where and frightened her for a second.

"Whoot ar- ya doin up here? The armory is down there, don't u hav' soom steel to dull? " She laughed off her started reaction to her brother.

" I hav' some things t' tell ya." He grabbed her wrist. More then anything he wanted to tell his sister about the bet. But he could not find the words , he stalled.

"A- about the bridge , meeting with Rabbie. Ian ha'd nuthin t' do wuth it. But it was all Rabbie ,He wrote the lettrr and gave the quine the wine. And we heard all of it."

"I hav' better things to worry about then flasks of wine and fake letters…" She tried to move past him.

"That's why Lord MacGuffin is here." She stopped. She remembered he kissed her but after accusing her of setting up Bridget or was it luring Ian to her room. Either way Grant made it quite clear he did not trust her. Merida had no time for men without trust , even friendships needed trust. That meant whatever happened between them meant nothing to Grant. Merida did not think much of it after the kiss. Yes she was hurt , but there was her dreams and the future outcome of a major battle to think about. But when she allowed herself to think about Grant and his words about his feelings she could not help feel maybe some of it had been true. She shook her head getting rid of her thoughts like cobwebs caught in her hair.

"He's here because it is our last stand. If we go he go's too." She said dismissively.

"He's here because he woonts t' protect you. I av seen it in him." Merida frowned , she did not need anyone's protection Hamish knew that. With that she pushed him out of the way and continued to her room. Hamish followed closely whispering into her ear. "An it was not Ian who sav'd ya from the battle!"

"Whoot do ya mean?" Merida turned looking down at her brother as she was a few steps above him on the stairway.

"It was Lord MacGuffin he was the one who killed the Crazed Nrrthman. Aye, he did fall an cut his leg almust clean off , but without his help me and your brothers woldnea be able to knocked him away frum yah. I don't think you should shun him anymoor."

"why ar you making this about him." She did not want to talk about Grant any longer. Something inside of her cracked and caused her pain. Thinking about Grant caused her grief. She could not tell if it was the fact she blamed herself for his fathers death, or if it was from his accusations against her.

"What?" Hamish looked confused.

"I am sick of hearing about who I should treat well and what I should do. I am me and that isnea goin to change. If a laddie treats me like shite I donea hav t' answer t' him. I was sick of it when I was 16 I am sick of it now! You don't think I cant see that Rabbie and Ian arr doin all they can to catch me like a winter Rabbit?! Well I willnea be caught." She poked Hamish hard in the chest and he wobbled back a bit. "I hav been sleep deprived and worried sick about you! And your brotheres ! Not to meantion every man in this clan! AYE I ken this is all my fault I didnea pick a man , and now we have to go inbetween fixin relations and shakein hands , when we should be fightin together! You don't think I feel guilty? Im no givin up. Not my freedome not the safty of the clans. I am goin to fix this by me'self!" She had raised her voice to her brother. Merida took a step back. She calmed her self .

"Hamish." She said in a softer tone. "I didnea mean t' yell but we have other things on hand that arr more important." Merida remembered the vision of the future , everything was burned. "An I know how t' fix it. Im going out tonight."

"what ?! Where?"

"Im goin to look for a cave. I have a feeling I can find our solution there."

"a CAVE? Yu hav gon completely dafty. What solution?" He was pail now, she was going to run away this close to battle? When they needed leadership most? The Norsemen could attack any day now.

Tears crept into her eyes thinking of loosing her brothers. 'No I cant let that future happen'. She hugged Hamish tightly for a moment and then pulled herself away. "Im goin to Fix things. With the clans with ev'ry thin. There is something out there that I need t' find."

" An you Canea do that inside the castle?!"

"Hae yu noticed there ar no graves here?"

"Merida im goin to call the healer , your still not well." Hamish believed his sister completely lost it.

"Hamish!" She grabbed his shoulders as he was about to turn. "listen t' me for a moment! Every castle we wen t' even our own has graves for th' dead. But not here. Why is that?"

"Merida I honestly donea know…" He shook his head in sympathy. 'She was still ill in the mind.'

"im' goin t' find out." Merida looked determined.

"How dose this relate t' the cave?!" He pleaded.

"Its a feeling i have an im going to follow it!" With that she turned away from her brother, but paused looking down at him. 'this may be the last time i see him'. She thought of Crom. A flash of her brother appeared to her when he was just a wee bear. She had a lot to protect, how can she falter now? Merida then ran to her room to prepare.

* * *

That night she took her horse out of the stable.

A lone rider was seen riding towards the great woods. She would not have been spotted but a light lingered in one of the rooms well past midnight , and someone had been watching.

Moments later that light went out and another rider left the stable that night.

Everything fled from Crom. That was her first clue. It would be somewhere in the forest where there was no animals. The fact this castle had no grave site was extremely unusual. She knew someone was feeding Crom Cruach , so dead bodies would go unnoticed if they went missing. Especially ones from wars left on the battlefield.' So I need to find a cave somewhere in this forest where no one dares to go. '

Merida felt the darkness of the forest close in around her the deeper she went. She was much more comfortable in the woods then in the castles but this forest was different. At first it was normal enough as far as a forest at night is considered. But then all the normal noises stopped after she got to a certain point. Soon she felt a bit lost.

Merida jumped from her horse.

"I know yu'r out there." She needed the wisps and closing her eyes she strained to hear the whispers of notes from the cold famed spirits. "Please, help me find him." She needed help to find Crom Cruach's cave. He was somewhere in this forest ,she knew it, she could feel it.

Then as she opened her eyes to the whinny of her horse; there it was.

A blue wisp.

"That'a'Boy." She patted her stallion and walked forward. As soon as she got close the wisp disappeared. And another sighed into sight yards ahead of her. "I hope this gets us to crom." She half said to the horse.

The only sound she could detect was the footfalls of herself , her horse , and the notes of the wisps. There was no wind here. No animals, not even birds dared to com here. They must be getting close . Then over her shoulder she saw a flame, but this one was orange. It was a torch. Somewhere over a thicket of brush was a group of men .

"ssshhhhh shhhhh shhhhhh" She breathed to her black Horse, and she tied him loosely to a tree, if he needed to pull to get away he could. Merida took her bow from over her shoulder, fletched and arrow and started to make her way towards the flame.

Slowly she moved towards the group walking beside them but unnoticed because of the thick brush. The flame torches they carried made them night blind. Her eyes were focused from traveling without a torch, so she could see them but they would have a hard time seeing her.

She walked closer still until the torch bearers stopped. Merida moved some brush, stilling her breath. There in front of her was five living men from Castle Macintosh, and two dead men from the north.

Innis was in front of the group and he stood at the mouth of a great cave closed off by a boulder. Innis motioned his head at the men , three of them started to push the stone away. They began to roll the circular stone to reveal the opening of the cave.

"Put th' tourches out, he canea eat in the light." Merida just barely heard Innis Macintosh say those words, her heart was about to burst, something in the cave moved.

The dead men were thrown to the front of the cave in a heap. They had been dead for a while Merida noticed.

Innis hated feeding the great worm meat past it's due but the creature loved human flesh the best, he got cranky when they could only bring him live stalk. Samhain was when he ate the most.

Something twinkled in the cave, it almost looked like dull stars . But they came closer to the caves edge. And then closer still. Moving out to the moonlight was the head of an eel like monster. Merida opened her mouth to scream, but a hand clasped over it. She ripped an arrow loose and drove the tip of it into the mans large arm, but he wore thick leather armor, only a trickle of blood ran down his arm as the tip had pierced the leather. Merida looked up with wide eyes. The man was large and he picked her up with the other arm as if she weighed less then a sack of potatoes. They were running through the forest now ,she was hauled atop of his shoulder , as she looked back her legs in a vice like grip of the kidnapper she saw the torches again being lit. they were coming towards her. She thought out to yell but gulped hard. 'be fed to Crom or let the man beneath her run away with her.' she would take her chance with the living.

"they ar' catching up." She squeaked, she was being jolted up and down by the running mountain. The man under her bounded over logs and stone boulders. Merida was very surprised he could move so fast for a man his size, as he was muscular but not like Ian Macintosh was. They came to a narrow brook that had eaten away at the valley it snaked down to make a steep narrow bank a couple of feet deep to the waters edge.

"Get- in-an-stay there!" The man pushed her into the cleft in the ground her back was submerged in the freezing water. She gasped "Shhhh!" He lay on top of her pinning her down. The water ran over her ears but her face was uncovered facing towards the sky her back on the mud under the stream. She lifted her head a bit out of the water. She could hear men move closer . Then a jump. A man jumped clean over them holding a torch. He had mistaken the man on top of her as a river stone ( as oiled leather tends to look like in moonlight) and passed over them in a hurry. The men ran forward into the night calling out to one another in confusion, they had lost them.

" Geet off- they ar gon." Merida bit the man hard in the shoulder . He had saved her from Crom but she was going to save herself from him. As soon as he lifted his heavy body from her , she reached across her chest and pulled a dirk from her bodice. She did not have much use for the corset she was forced to wear as her chest was never very large. "Geet up , I have the better mind t' feed yu to whatever I saw in tha' cave." Merida was stone cold serious. Maybe a bit more cold then stone, as she was close to shivering from the dunk in the cool stream. That just made her more ticked off.

He lifted himself slowly upwards away from the moon his face still In shadow. He raised his arms in surrender as he slowly sat down letting her get up , her dirk making a small trickle of blood stream down to his shirt. "Merida . Its me"

The knife fell, it was MacGuffin. She was shocked for a moment. Then got up in a hurry, he was the last person she wanted to see. She started back towards the cave for her horse.

"No!" Grant whispered grabbing her skirt , she stopped dead in her tracks almost tripping from his grip on her. She turned, her anger doubled and she grabbed her dress in both hands wrenching it from his grip. "Donea go-back ther!" He hissed.

"im-getting my horse !" she walked on , he could drowned in that little stream for all she cared.

"im comin with!"

"Ugh! How D' Ya Find me?" she did not have time to babysit him. Making long strides she kept in front of him.

"Yur' Brothr Hamish Told me at Dinner. a-sumpl 'thanks' wuld be' reward enuf!" Grant snapped at her, keeping up.

"Oh AYE that would mak it twice now huh? Yur forgettin you saved me at Your Castle with the Norsemen. Callin it even would nea be good enough for ya would it?"

"Whoot ar ye talkin about?" Grant grabbed a handful of brush , snapped it off in his great hand and tossed it harmlessly at Merida. The Leaves and debris never made their mark.

"you never said anythin to anyone about Ian savin me! It was Yu'h who stopped it. Stopped that Norseman." Merida wanted to leave him in the forest but he still trotted along behind her.

"what of it?-" Lord MacGuffin was red from embarrassment.

"Yu' should hav' left me.-" Merida gritted her teeth, saying her words as a growl. If he had not saved her she would not be in this mess. She would have had a warriors death and be free from all of these troubles.

"Letf yu'?" Grant felt ill. That day flashed back to him. The Berserker lifting his shield to deal the final blow upon the red headed maiden.

"Aye! Then u all of the other clansman can hav' some peace! I Ken how u look at me." She turned around facing him as if she willed him to burst to flame. "U' hate me. Why? Because ur Bonnie Dove tuned to be a durn Hor! But somhow tha was my fault, wasntit?" Her words struck him deeply. Grant had made a great mess of things in his hurt. "You confused Glaekit (stupid ) Man. Yu think u can geet away wit kissin me and then, then just turnin yur back on me. Yur the one that's dishonorable not myslef." She poked herself in the chest where her heart was at the word 'Myself'.

"Merida stup." Grant said softy seeing her eyes brim with tears.

"Tha thing out there-" Merida pointed to the woods behind her. " -tha is what aye sawr in me dreems. Every night for weeks I hunt it and it kills me. And now it is here. It is the father of monsters and Im the one who has to kill it!"

He grabbed her arm as she turned to leave. But like her dress she ripped away from his hands, she would not stand being touched by him. "Yu shud hav' left me!" She snarled.

"No, I wouldnea eve'r do tha'. You shud hav' doon tha' for me… you'r the' yin tha' should hav' left me aloon." Merida turned back to Grant MacGuffin. She was quiet now. "You found me weepin by m' da's grave an soomhoow you managed t' sav me fum the Nurs man. Then you Maneged t' strike down men infront of me an yur brothers in the Battailiing (battle) even aftu'r I loc't u in th' castle."

Grant was a big man but right then he looked very small. His shoulders fell and he looked down at the forest floor.

"Och, look what good I hav don. Iv' only confused things, treated my Princess poorly. I ken my Da' isnea proud of me. I made a fin mess of all uf this ! Aye , I blamed u fur the things Bridget ha' don on her uwn free will. Thah was wrong, but wha was worse is I nev'r apulogized. I hid under a bridge with ur brothers listenin to Bridget talk to Rabbie about how she wanted Ian an noot me. That is why I couldne do it. Ian wanted u Merida. an look at him! An look ah me! It seems lik evr'e lass want's thah Pict for her husbind An nea' me."

There was a pause of silence from both of them. Merida was taking all of what he said in ,though her face was unmoved. 'He could still be lieing' she thought to herself. But Grant continued softly.

" When Ian pipped oup and seed he was th' one whu saved ya. I let him hav' it. He is th' must wanted man in the four clans. U saved me an I loked u in a room. How can I ever be good enugh fur a woman like ue. Bridget Was picked by m' Da' FOR me, she siad she LUVED me. She didnea fight me when I asked fur her hand like you did. And look whut happened. She was willin to use magic to help her get Ian Macintosh to bed with her. Bridget said somethin before Aye made her leave. She said you would only Discrace me and leav' me chridhe briste (heart broken). An she may be right aboot that. But do not think I didnea tried. I have tried to stop how I feel , evr' since I left your clan I have dreamed of yu. I canea help my feelins Merida, tha is why I kisst yu" Grant was trying to keep it together.

" Yu claim you care for me." Merida was icy towards Lord MacGuffin. He gritted his teeth.

"I do."

"Then why balme me for Bridget?" She pushed Grant back but he did not move. "I blam m' self for enough, All the Clans do! Can ye not see I had enough?" She thumped a fist on his chest.

"Aye blamed yu because of m' own hurt. It was wrong." Grant walked closer to her. "Merida. When you said t' just leave u. I canea belive yu said tha. Do you kwn who yu are? How important yu are. Your brothers love yu, your da', ur mum. All of the wee bairns lov yu. All of the clans need yu …An-"

"No-" Merida did not want to hear anymore, she knew what he was about to say.

"An- Merida I Care fur yu , I need yu too. When I kist ya I ment it." It hurt her when he said it. She tuned away from him and shook her head in defeat. There was a long pause.

"I jus want all o this t' stop." Merida started to cry, she could not hold herself for she felt overwhelmed with the burden of her choices.

"wha-evr happens . I donea care if u hav' any want fur me. I will be there, I will help u an I will figt beside yu. Need Be Merida , I will kneel down me lif fur yu. An whatever that is in there-" Grant moved closer to Merida . Gently he held her hand turning her around to face him and placed her small hand on his chest as a sign of his vow. His other arm pointed into the direction of Crom. "Iwill face it whit yu."

Merida still looked with tired ,sad eyes up at him. So much was on her slender shoulders it made Grant just want to help her as much as he could.

Merida was feeling too much to think. She gently took her hand away from his and started back towards her horse , Grant made a dash for his own horse and met her on the trail leading back to the castle. Then like the first night at Castle MacGuffin, they made there way back in silence.

"sgriosaidh às an talamh fon" Meida whispered remembering the shelly coat .

(consume from the ground underneath)


	17. Chapter 17

Merida got as much sleep as she could before the sun rose. She found that she was sleeping better and her arm ached less then it did before. The sun had made its way through the painted glass of her window and she opened her eyes to its glow. Alone in her room at dawn was a peaceful moment that almost did not seem real. The woman blinked her long red lashes at the light, thinking back to all that had happened since she boarded the boats heading to the north.

She had narrowly escaped death by the hands of the Norsemen a few times now. But now she was safe in the confines of the great Castle Macintosh. Was that really the truth? Safety was a false hope, her mind turned to the vision she had of this very castle in ruins. That was the future shown to her by the Goddess. All of this around her, all this quiet interrupted by the happy voices of chattering maids was not a reality of the future to come. Unless she could change it.

The princess sat up in bed now and wrapping her blankets around herself she moved to the window opening it wide. Merida looked down and shuttered against the fall winds. Snow would fall soon and the raids of their lands would stop, but not till after the 'Cull'. The villagers started calling the last very large raid of their lands from the Norsemen the "Cull". Where the evil from the north gathered all of their strengths and set their ships west towards Scotland for one final decimation before winter. Food stores, animals, young woman, and necessities for the winter months to come, all pillaged , all gone. Starvation faced the people who would survived the burning and mass slaughter. That is what Merida's warriors were counting on. All the clans had moved the majority of their best and bravest to the northern lands to the most wealthy of the castles. It was the jewel of the northern sea, Castle Macintosh was now stronger then ever, as well as richer then anyone could fathom.

This was their last front, a plan that was doomed.

'Fate changer' , that is who the Goddess addressed Merida as. Yes, she had changed her fate once in the past but only by the skin of her teeth. This time it was not just her mother and brothers at stake. It was all of those walking below her window that morning. It was all of those at castle's ; MacGuffin, Dunbroch, Dingwall, and all the villages in-between.

It was the lives of Eve's her small stable hand and the children from the sick halls in Castle MacGuffin; Frasier and Asling. What would happen to them if the Scotsmen would fall?

The Mother Goddess Danu did not mention the warriors, she only talked about what Merida had to do.

But what was that exactly?

'It has t' do with Crom.' Merida was thinking deeply not paying attention to anything around her. She just looked out her window lost in her own mind. 'what could Crom Cruach hav' t' do with the norse men anyway?'

Merida was a very smart woman , but even the smartest of men would never figure out what her vision was telling the princess. 'Answers not found by one could be found by many'. She would need help, who would have the answers to killing an ancient god?

The red headed lass sighed , she knew who was able to help her.

So the princess of Dunbroch slipped a warm fall dress over her head and made her way to the scroll room, to find Wee Lord Dingwall.

* * *

But he was not in the Scroll room.

Merida took her breakfast there, some type of pastry with dried fruits. So she waited, clouds had rolled into the north from the East. The same winds that would bring the Norsemen to them. So she sat with the window open viewing the sea from the red chair in the corner. The storm was rolling in, and so were the Lords of the Castles into the Scroll room. There the battle plans were laid out on a group of tables placed together to hold the large skin that held the image of the castle and grounds. Merida watched , her younger brother Harris joined her. He had noticed her quiet behavior and took a place next to the princess away from the window. Harris followed his sisters eyes as she watched the storm coming in off the sea. The King and the clansmen would take turns pointing at the skin here and there fixing the mistakes they saw. They would move the boat figures , then draw them back to the shore that was drawn on the skin. They would plan for more trenches to be dug. Their numbers had dwindled as a whole , and the Northmans attack from the north would be a large one. But all in all they felt confident. Ian Macintosh , Innis' eldest son was there as well. He was instructed not to talk, as most of the men had been. So he stood watching the Princess from the other side of the room over the battle table, pretending to take in all the lords were saying. He was really thinking about all the presents he had brought to her room. She was wearing one of the dresses he had asked the seamstresses to make.

Ian was feeling guilt for the incident in the princesses room. If she had come to her room and seen him and the woman - her name escaped him- in the state he was in. Ian flushed thinking of himself undressing for that woman, she had tricked him, he was sure of it. Many woman had tried what the Black haired lass had , and had even been bolder. But if she had found out what had happened ,Merida would be out of reach. But he was lucky and he thought he had escaped that situation unscathed. Sure , he had taken part in his fun with woman, but what fun was an easy catch. Ever since he was a little boy he had taken part in hunts with the other Clansmen. Nothing made him happier then chasing down a deer or spearing a boar. Now the uncatchable silver stag was the affection of the princess. He just had to use the right bate. It was just like hunting, he was sure of it, but she was not like the other women. Other woman would have thrown themselves at him when presented with half the presents he had given her. So that was not the way to her affections . Ian licked his lips thinking as he watch her hair wave at the storm winds 'he needed to change his bait, or his tactics'.

"out wit it." Harris whispered to his sister. " I cannea stand such moody behavuer from you, its getting t' be tiring." He was right there was something on her mind.

"Its all for naught."

"Why is that?" Harris was a bit annoyed by her nonchalant pessimism, she sensed his discomfort by the way he shifted his weight from one foot to another.

"The real fight is out there. Harris ,the army isnea big enough, we will be crushed.-" She turned to her brother , she did not mean to sound like there was no hope. There was in fact hope , she just had to find it, and the answer had to do with the blood god Crom Cruach. "But I have a- a feelin." Merida considered telling Harris what she had seen the other night. But Innis was a yard or so away , this was not the time for that. Her eyes darted to Lord Macintosh for a second then back to the window. He was the one who had fed the monster in her dreams. Any other human would shutter and draw back from Innis but not Merida. She had drank from the Fire Falls and the blood of kings pulsed through her like lightning runs through clouds.

" Och, oh really Merida." Harris looked at her ,a pleading in his eyes. He knew every time she had a notion she would disappear off on her own, that was not ideal right now. She motioned to him to come closer.

" You know I saw something in that cauldron. What I saw needs more then swords an arrows to yield it. I will need something , older. Clan Macintosh has a harp, but I donea want to will the creature t' sleep. I need to-"

"Creature…"

"Aye, Harris. An I need t' kill it…" Merida was serious, but something told Harris this was not the shock the healers had said would affect her. There was a clarity and softness in her eyes. If there was something scary enough to be called a 'creature' by his sister, it was real. It was also a threat. "Clan DingWall has a stone. It was wielded by the Dagda they say, as a sling stone. It had killed many of the Fomorians with a single shot.-" The Dagda was the Chieftain of the gods, he wielded a great club so large that it needed to be dragged upon on wheels. He fought the Fomorians, a monster race, for the lands they stood on. Harris thought deeply on his sisters words. This world they lived in was full of mysteries, if he had asked the Druid , she would tell him what Merida was saying was the truth. But no one had heard of gods for many years.

" Rabbie would never giv' me the stone on his own free will , not without something in return."

Harris felt a chill through his body.

"Remember all those years back? When I challenged the suitors to an archary competition, Rabbie Dingwall won that competition. " Merida was willing to do anything to change the future, Even her freedom was dispensable.

Harris opened his mouth to protest. Not for the bet he had made with the lords. If she chose Wee Dingwall then he would loose that bet badly. This protest was for her happiness. And she did not look happy. She would never be happy with Dingwall.

" Don't marry for material things lass… you can borrow them much cheaper."

The druid had appeared like a mist from behind them. She looked onward to the lords smiling, Harris turned to face her slightly. He had no trust in the Druid after she had forced Merida face first in to a vat of boiling water. If one of Merida's hairs had been harmed on her head Harris would have had the Druids head. But she had come with a solution that was not the forced marriage of the Dingwall man to his sister. So he stayed watchful.

The druid smiled at the princess and handed out a wine skin. "It's the water from the cauldron. I have a feeing that if you offer it to the gods, they will help us as we prepare for the days ahead. Maybe they will help you find your answer."

Merida nodded ,and reached passed her brother who was staring down the small woman.

"Thank you." Merida said honestly. The druid patted her small hand as she passed the skin over with a polite smile. "We are counting on you 'Fate changer'. " And with that she moved back to her collection of books past the curtains in the back of the scroll room.

Meanwhile Ian Macintosh had almost bitten a whole in his lip watching the conversation on the other side of the room. His eyes locked with Merida for a moment as she held the wine skin. What was that the Druid had given his future bride? Merida nodded at him as a 'hello' of sorts and the wine skin was pulled away from his sights, behind her. Ian was so curious to find out it burned a whole in his stomach. Unfortunately the royal siblings left the room , while he had to stay by his father unable to follow.


	18. Chapter 18

Merida walked towards the great room from the scroll room, as she went to leave her brother Harris called to her.

"You don't think I can make yu prromise me to not to run away."

"Harris.' The final fight was drawing near and he was becoming sentimental. His older sister turned back and held her brothers shoulder in her hand firmly. "You wee devil. You know I always come back."

That was a bit too much for him to hear. Harris nodded and looked away trying to hide the tears forming in his eyes.

"Me, an your brothers. Even Da'. We know your free to go as you please, but in the scrimish at castle MacGuffin . We almost lost you. Merida, how is your arm?" Harris looked down at the arm that was fractured by a northmans shield. She drew back her arm away from her brothers had.

"Its fine."

"It hurts you still." Harris was serious , her hand slipped from his shoulder and she turned to leave. But Harris held her shoulders now with his own firm hands in concern. "We need you Merida, you're the Crown princess, your our future queen." He held her into his arms his chin resting in the top of her curly locks. "Your brothers need you, so dose mum." He let go of his elder sister. Nodding to her that he was done making a fuss , and returned to the scroll room.

Her eyes looked to her hip where the bag of magic water hung. Hopefully the gods had an answer. The princess went to the kitchens and ultimately to the outside of the castle walls. There on a peg was a oil skin hooded cloak and she picked it up. It was a drumming rain outside. The kitchens were crowded with happy maids and servants . Cooking meats were thick in the air but stepping out in the rain a wet grass smell washed away the kitchen aromas. The rain drummed on her hood ,many people passed her ,running for shelter but her destination was outside the stone walls.

* * *

Merida walked to the grasses nearest to the shore. People of her faith put out offerings to the gods or the fairy folk. Milk and honey mostly , sometimes gold.

"I guess this'll do." Merida looked at the wine skin and held it out as an offering . She was alone out here, and could not see a soul. "Um- excuse me." She was addressing anything that would hear her. This was her first time she had made an offering not being a very strong believer in the gods. But she had never had to kill a monster before. Mor'Du was a magic bear , but she never faced him one on one and won. Crom ate bears like Mor'Du for a midnight snack. Maybe a bit of blessing from the gods was not a bad idea, she was already soaked any how might as well get on with it. Suddenly she found the words she was looking for.

"I hav never done this before. But we as a people have never faced such a great evil. Im not asking you to make me stronger or make me brave. That is something that I can do by m'self. What I ask is for time ; to change our fates , and for knowlage; to help me to find the answers. " She poured out the water. But nothing happened , though she did not expect sparks and rainbows. Merida sighed she was wet and getting colder now.

"I willnea fail you , or any of them." She pointed behind her at the castle . "I promised myself , many of the dead , and the living. Crom dosenea scare me anymoor." Some how the princess felt better, and she made her slow walk back to the castle and to a hot bath. But there was a bit of the Mother Goddess in that water for unseen in the rain, things began to grow in the cold soil that never existed on the island before. They grew unnaturally quick as plants go ,but so slowly ,that no one noticed them. The gods had been listening.

* * *

That night was a celebration, in honor of all the clans coming together for Samhain!

There was thousands of things Merida would rather do then go to some damn dance. She would never repeat it to anyone but the dance was a nice surprise and even she could agree it was a welcome change of mood.

They should still be on high alert, that was the reason Merida would keep her bow and arrows neatly hidden behind her chair in the great hall. Harris had made it a point to his sister that she should look her best, and sent a maid who was rather burly to see to that matter. Her brother knew well enough she would escape from the perils of being a young beautiful woman if he did not have back up. So at about noon the middle aged maid that could substitute in for a caber tosser knocked on Meridas door.

The princess had no escape, her hair was washed then dried, as she was forced into a corset. Then Merida suffered through the silk dress that was shoved over her head as she had her hands scrubbed to a healthy pink. Merida had argued her way out of a head covering, but a circlet of mother of pearl and silver still rested above her brow. Her stomach began to churn she hated the thought of men and woman looking at her dressed this way. The people of the court were much more versed in matters of grace and beauty, looking into the polished bronze mirror held in front of her Merida did not see how she could be one of them. It disappointed her, she was not the graceful lady her mother was. Merida let out a long shaky breath as a man would before entering battle. This was going to be an interesting night.

The hall of Macintosh was a large one ,not so much in height as castle Dingwall was , but in length. It was a long room not a circular one, and was lined with benches with tables in front of them. Banners and tapestries were hung up, and torches brought forward. The castle was a wealthy one and attracted lots of trade. So there would be food for the royal families from France and spices from Spain. Innis Macintosh wanted to impress the lords , and the king. From the looks of it he was succeeding. The kitchens pumped out a fog of delicious smells and food and ale began to circulate. Especially the mead made with the very famous apples the clan was known for growing.

Innis was waiting in the great hall in a chair upon the stage where all the lords and royalty sat. He smiled as he sipped a dark brew from a horn and watched Ross Dingwall without his son march up the steps. Innis Macintosh let out a snicker as Ross ordered an extra cushion on his chair so he could sit at the same head height as the other lords. Grant MacGuffin was next, he was as tall as an oak but so quiet that he sometimes went unnoticed. He was next to come down the hall and he was dressed as the other lords were. Grant wore his best studded leather breastplate, engraved with notwork from the south where he lived. His hair was freshly combed and pulled back to a fantastic braid , his beard even looked shiny and well kept. Grant had on a great badger sporran with silver and semi- precious gems. He dressed every bit a Lord but a part of him cowered away from Innis' and Ross' stare. He was afraid of his new tittle Innis reflected. Grant was not ready just yet to have been made lord, but no one foresaw the sudden death of his father. Grant MacGuffin took a uneasy seat next to the lords , then the triplet princes joined them in the great hall in the company of the Bear King.

King Fergus was regal in only one aspect ; he could draw a crowd to watch his every move without saying a word. The queen was the respectable one as Fergus would be a more prone to fist fight then to talk nice. To challenge Fergus to a knuckle brawl would be to prove yourself as a very dumb man or a brave one, as the king was true to his nickname. He was as big as a bear , just with blazing red hair and a long graying red beard. His sons were spiting images of himself , they were well on their way to be copies of their father.

Fergus settled into his chair and smiled at his son Hamish caring on a conversation about the battlements of the castle. Innis interrupted as the boys settled down onto the benches besides the kings chair.

"Where is your daughter?" This got Ross' attention as he whipped his head around.

"Haw, Aye, my son has been wantin to see her-" Ross turned his head looking over the room trying to find his son in the crowds. This was the first time since the bet they had talked about the princesses hand.

Fergus looked over to Harris, he had been appointed as 'babysitter' this evening. There was no controlling Merida but someone had to keep tabs on her. Harris nodded reassuringly at his father, as Lord Grant MacGuffin looked down into his cup listening intently.

'Och, she will be here soon enough I got the biggest of the maids in the castle to …assist her. t' make sure she getts here-"

"-Eventually. " Laughed Fergus taking a swig of the amber liquid in his cup, passed to him by Hubert. He knew his daughter better then anyone and it made him laugh when she would defy the expectations that were pressed onto her. She was more then a handful , thinking about a bigger woman trying to gussy his daughter up brought out a large smile.

" so how will you be payin oot your bet?" Innis felt like getting under Dingwalls skin, and that was just the way to do it.

"ppppffffft." Ross sputtered , as if the idea was unfathomable. "I donea think so Innis! Rabbie is the one who-is-a-coutin her at the moment"

-Grant shook his hand as it was covered with ale, Harris noticed this wondering how Grant spilt his drink. But the lord did not spill his drink, Grant passed the shards of a bull horn cup to his second in command standing behind him. Grant MacGuffin had crushed his cup In his hand the moment the lords mentioned the wedding of the princess was mentioned. Grant looked as if nothing had happened and was passed a fresh cup , it would have gone unnoticed, but Harris was very observant. Lord MacGuffins strength was something to fear, if he did not have the quiet demeanor of a old cow, he would be terrifying to behold. At this time not more then a handful of people knew about the departure of Bridget, as it was quite sudden. Harris watched the lord out of the corner of his eye, Hamish noticed his brother was stiff in the shoulders and watched his gaze looking at the giant blond lord. Hamish even noticed how tense Grant was from the ongoing conversation. Hamish remembered what his brother said to Grant's younger brother Garret. ' When will he figure out he loves her.' 'From the looks of it ' thought Hamish 'it could be tonight'.

"from what I hear " Ross Dingwall continued ."-your son has-nea been seen near her since we arrived! An all them fancy Pulcherie (beautiful) gifts he gav' her ar all for nothing -"

"OCH! Ross Whit's fur ye'll no go by ye! " King Fergus was on his fourth pint and teasing the lords was high on the to do list tonight. Ross nodded thinking the King was on his side and he let out a "humfh" in Innis' direction, As if to say ' so there'.

Innis laughed. "oh Aye I do belive your son is doin better then? I donea think he fancies anything in this world moor then his books!"

"That is what they were a-say-in aboot ur son but nea with books! With all the quinnes in the castle!" Ross crossed his arms and puffed up his chest, he was quick to take someone down but he hatted being made fun of , he was known to be a poor sport.

"well at-lest m' boy will ken how to treat her!" Innis reached forward to grab another pint of ale, and before King Fergus could , Grant MacGuffin beat him to the punch. Lord MacGuffin kicked the wooden chair Innis had been sitting on out of the way, so the Lord came down hard on his ass when he went to sit down again. It all looked like an accident had the King not noticed it himself. Innis spilled a full large cup of his draft all over himself and many of the clansman laughed heartily. King Fergus smiled at the docile bearded lord of Clan MacGuffin, he was quicker then he thought he was, as well as strong.

Ross was just about to throw another quip at Innis when a bagpipe sounded at the far side of the hall.

There entered Merida, a big burly woman behind her as if to stop her escape back through the door whence she came.

Merida strode in pulling one side of her mouth to a smile. She looked as a dog would, being forced to wear a human dress, she looked unimpressed. The king smiled proudly , she had taken her looks from his side of the family , Merida was a stunning beauty and he was proud her looks rivaled her skill in battle. There were many stories of warrior queens but to see one was something that made the King happy that she was his daughter. Innis and Ross were both equally pleased with how the princess could polish up so nicely, being she would be one of their new daughters in-law.

Hubert and Hamish continued to talk among themselves as more eyes were drawn to their sisters entrance down the long hallway. She had arrived late for a princess , but in the nick of time for the festivities of Samhain to start.

Hamish looked over his shoulder from his bench where he sat towards his sister then at Grant who had sat next to him in his own chair. He could not pinpoint the look on Lord MacGuffins face. He did not smile or look happy, rather Grant looked as if in a trance. His green eyes looking forward like he was taking in a sunrise by himself. He looked at peace.

Grant was lost. Everything around him fell away. He had seen her in a night gown before in his dreams and by the lake the first night they met weeks ago. But this was something different. She was wearing a dress of woven cotton so fine it shone. It was a gemstone green and deep in color like the fields in late spring. Her arms were exposed the fabric being held up by two highly decorated pins at each shoulder. The fabric drooped to expose her collarbones and the soft skin above her breasts . She was built as gracefully as a swan, her limbs long and tone with muscle. Her small waist circled by a thick belt made of gold and her hair had been combed with oil so her ringlets were not AS wild. The red waterfall of hair fell even longer , reaching past her thighs. Atop her head was some of the family jewels given to Merida to borrow from Castle Macintosh. She had a circlet of gold around her neck and armbands of bronze. Merida walked past a line of clansman making way for her ; smiling, and nodding words of admiration to her as she walked past. This only made her more uncomfortable , Grant could see it. He remembered the first time they met. Where he had the same face of uncertainty and discomfort. He was still getting use to all the attention he received as lord he could only imagine what it would be like for her. If it was him he would run too. Her skin looked so pale and cool to the touch, her touch, what would that feel like tonight? She had grabbed him by the collar when she was angry, she had shaken him awake and pulled him by the hand. But he had never been touched by her in a gentle manner. When they had shared a kiss he had held a lock of her hair but that was all his own doing. He grew a bit sad, as he felt the heart break in his chest. Grant would never be with Merida, not after the way he treated her, and he did not expect her to ever forgive him.

Grant looked painfully on as she mounted the stairs in front of him and as she caught his glance with her own , he bowed his head to look into his drink. Grant felt if he looked any longer he would make a fool of himself, and Grant was not wrong. Ian had swooped in and helped her up the stairs much to the jealousy of the other woman of the court. But it was not just the pretty maids who felt the anger of jealousy. Rather then watch Ian Macintosh touch the smalls of Merida's back Grant drained his cup got up and began to look for a kitchen maid who could refill his glass.

Merida took her seat gritting her teeth at Ian. She did not need anyone's help to sit down, she was not a baby. Merida nodded back at her father who took her hand and snickered with a wink, he was teasing her. The Druid of the castle walked forward as the princess took her seat. With her she brought a basket of bones, cattle to be exact.

"Welcome my sisters and brothers!" The druid wore black and red paint upon her face to scare the spirits away. "Tonight we feast to the coming of Cailleach's Winter reign, this morning the best bulls and sheep our farmers have slaughtered for us. So we may celebrate the middle of the season ,and the beginning of the winter months to come!" The people nodded in thanks listening intently to the elderly woman. The farmers waved their hands and a soft clap followed to thank them for their offerings. "The bones of the beasts will be sacrificed to the flame as a symbol of the sun, to nourish it as it prepares to fall and die for three days in the heart of winter. now is the time where the spirits can freely come into our world and pass the night with us! Let us drink to the lost ones -"

"To - lord Greggor MacGuffin -" The Bear king raised a tree trunk sized arm and nodded at Grant who was taking his seat again. Grant held up his horn and nodded seriously to the king. Merida took a cup from her brother who held two and stood up razing it high.

"To Lord Greggor." Merida looked over the crowd as the men and woman rose from their own seats drinks held high.

Grant fought back tears, the night at the graves came back to him. There he remembered the young lass who honored his fathers grave. The princesses face was solemn as it had been in the moon light that night. It started to rain harder outside and Grant took to his feet before the crowd. Usually he would be nervous but he took a spot next to Merida, somehow she made him feel stronger.

"To the men and women we fought beside at Castle MacGuffin." His voice bellowed regally over the hall as MacGuffin scanned the crowd all had turned quiet.

Merida let her eyes drift towards the giant man beside her, he was built like a stone wall. His long arms strong and sturdy held out the cup as if it was a sword. It reminded her of the vow he gave the other night. This man was willing to face any nightmares the island could churn up, and that finally hit her. She watched him a flash of the kiss he gave her came to her mind and Merida's heart gave a strange flutter. She felt oddly proud of Grant at that moment. But a hand from behind her broke her of her spell, it was the hand of Ian Macintosh. Ian stepped to her side opposite of Grant MacGuffin and he too raised his glass with his father behind him.

"To the men of Castle Dingwall" Innis nodded giving a rare tribute to the castle he had spent years feuding with, his son continued "And to the men who lost their lives there."

Men and women in the audience began to come together. Men held each other around the shoulders some bowed their heads to conceal tears. Blue tattooed Picts were shoulder to shoulder with Dingwall , and MacGuffin men. Merida was moved. This was the first time the clans felt like there was a small unity between them. She leaned into Ian and put a hand on Grants Arm the one that held the cup to the air. She felt him shake under her touch. Grant looked like stone but he must have been feeling a great amount of pain.

Ross pipped up motioning one of his men to put a wooden box down in front of him so he would be almost level with the rest of the lords. Getting up onto the box he too raised his glass, his son Rabbie appeared beside him. The Triplets had also stood with them, their cups raised.

"To the men of this Castle who lost lives here, and The Grrreat Picts o' the north." lord Ross Dingwall looked tearful and snorted to clear his runny nose. Ian took Rabbie in his other arm his drink still in his hand , resting it on Rabbies shoulder so Ian's cup was still held high.

King Fergus was directly behind his daughter. He watched Merida as the druid walked to one of the fires in the middle of the hall and started to scatter the bones on the hearth. The hall was silent and morose, but Fergus had a overwhelming urge to hug his daughter tightly. There she stood in the middle of all the lords locking arms together. Had she finally done it? Did she join the clans together? At this moment it looked just like that had in fact become a reality. Maybe they would win this war. If they did , his daughter played a large roll in it. If she had not come on the ship the hope of joining the clans as she had done would be a small one. Yes he kept the bet from her , and the bet of her hand in marriage was a nasty thing to keep from his beloved first born. But Harris was right, it was for the good of all of the Kingdom. Fergus smiled softly as he watched his daughter do something curious.

She turned her head not to the right towards the most handsome Clansman in the northern lands , but to the left. To Lord Grant MacGuffin she rested her eyes, and in them and on her lips was not a smile , but the look of deep compassion. The druid then spoke .

"My children and kin, my brothers and sisters, this night the time for sorrow has passed, the warriors that left us will travel to Tir nan og ( the land of forever young) but tonight they are with us. So let us drink-" She placed her empty basket to the floor and picked up a healthy sized glass of ale. "For the dead wish to be with us once more, not in sorrow, but in joy!" The crowed erupted and the Druids last words were almost drowned. "Tonight we celebrate their lives for them and with them!" Then the music broke out and the part threw itself into full swing, the Lords and the Royal family looked onward drinking deeply.

Everyone on the raised platform passed their empty glasses to the servant tending to them , they had all downed a glass as was the custom of Samhain to drink deeply. The druid came back up the stairs, where Merida stood reaching for another horn of sweet hard cider. The others had settled down to their seats after draining their cups.

"mo calman (My dove) …" Druid said softly to the princess. Merida smiled, but Her brothers grew overprotective behind her ,watching the old woman carefully. " May Lugh ( a chieftain of the tutha de danann ) lend you his strength in battle and AngusOg ( Angus the young , a patron of love.) help you see what is in your heart." The old woman smiled smugly for the second part she had whispered to the princess before moving slowly to her own seat. Merida showed no emotion but her heart skipped a beat at what the Druid had told her.

Merida was about to move to her seat when Rabbie confronted her. " May I have your first dance ?" Rabbie had combed his hair somewhat but it stuck up in a permanent cow lick lofting his hair up a bit towards the back. His pale eyes shone handsomely, he had done his best to look neat and together tonight. Merida looked over Rabbies shoulder, she was not a dancer and looked at her father in slight peril. King Fergus smiled happily and chuckled shrugging his shoulders, as if to say ,'your on your own'.

"No- I -" Merida went to back away but Ian was there behind her.

"Will ye' leav the poor lady anoon Rabbie, she was aboot to say she has a dance wi'-" Ian puffed out his chest , he was wearing a grand silver buckle studded with emeralds. He was the most handsome man in the room. Ian's raven hair shone with a blue silver glimmer , and his eyes were of a sea foam blue. But this did not change the fact Merida felt uneasy being alone with either of the men.

"With me. I belive she was aboot to dance with me. " A large hand opened in front of her, it belonged to Grant MacGuffin. He was a Lord now and had a small hierarchy over the two Young lords, so they could not protest for he had the final say. But Grant knew it was Merida who ultimately would chose. She took his hand and they descended the stairs much to the shock of all who sat there, save the triplets.

The last song was just finishing playing as they made it down to the floor , there was a small pause for people to catch their breath.

"I couldnea see ya' strugglin , its no right for them t' putt u on the spot like tha' " Grant said quickly before Merida could think of something to say. Grant had seen the fear in her eyes when she was confronted abruptly by the two men. Merida nodded, It was very kind of Grant to save her from an uncomfortable situation between the suitors. She had a feeling they still considered themselves to be her suitors , they certainty acted like it.

"I canea, dance…" Merida whispered. "I never had a partner befor." She bit her lip , and looked around nervously . Looking like a fool in front of her peers was her biggest fear.

"Gud." Grant smiled. "I canea dance t' save me' lif' ." It was not hard to see that MacGuffin had an almost painful time with Dancing, but by some mystery they found a rhythm to the lively dance. Grant easily twirled her around and they followed no dainty form but rather danced to their own steps. The couple laughed the entire time and almost broke a sweat. The clansmen from Clan MacGuffin clapped and hollered at their lord.

Grants second in command beamed looking at the son of his best Friend who had recently passed. He remembered how the new Lord of castle MacGuffin had been depressed for such a long time. Before Greggor lost his life in battle Grant was shy and mousy. Looking at him now, you could never tell the Grant dancing on the floor today was the same Grant hiding behind his fathers back years ago. The Druid had said that night the recently dead was with them all. Lord Greggor MacGuffin's best friend had tears in his eyes , he wished Greggor could see his own son now, Grant looked so happy.

Merida could not remember a time where she had laughed so hard. Grant stepped on her feat and apologized profusely. His unsteady movements and often mistakes made him look like a bear trying to waltz. Merida could not contain her laughter. "Isnea You MacGuffin." She said between giggles, Merida was laughing so hard she was almost crying. "Is just you look so silly!" She was stumbling along too with the music but they were getting rapidly better ,yet her laughter continued.

"Och,Aye but no as silly as you look between Rabbie and Ian!" Merida laughed harder thinking about how terrified she must have looked. she could face monsters and the Norsemen but she feared being fought over by the two young lords. Grant was right ,the thought was a funny one.

" When Aye whas furst made Lord I Tripped durnin the serimony an I stepped so hard on Bridgets foot she was sore fur a week." They looked at each other in a moment of seriousness as Merida could not tell if Grant said this in confidentiality. But as she looked up at Grant his serious faced cracked into a chuckle and she started to giggle, soon they were in another bout of laughter. Thinking about The two had hardly noticed the song had stopped, Ian was behind Merida again.

The music had stopped to a pause and she realized she held Lord MacGuffin's hand a bit too long and took it away quickly. Merida looked around passed Ian at the frowning faces of the Lords Dingwall and Macintosh. Had she had acted in a way that may make the lords sift apart? The clansman around her had their eyes following her every move, she felt suddenly claustrophobic.

"Merida , my princess I request your hand." Merida's stomach dropped. The wording he used was a poor choice. "-For the next dance." Merida forced herself to nod, Ian beamed at her. If she was going to dance with one of the lords she would have to dance with others , it only was fair, no matter how it made her uncomfortable. She held out her hand for Ian to hold but she quickly took it away. Ian looked at her in confusion but she was not looking at him she was looking behind him. Over his shoulder was a frowning King Fergus Dunbroch. A man was talking into his ear frantically and the triplets also listened in, showing concern. Merida picked up her dress and hurried through the crowd ascending the stairs to the king. Merida made it just in time to hear the tail end of the conversation.

"- we would nea have found him if he didnea calll oot."

"Call out for what?" Hubert hissed. Whatever they had been talking about they were shaken about it. Merida drew closer her father held out his hand so she may hold it. His grip on her was a strong one, she knew what had happened before they told her. It was time.

"Why did he scream out?" Hamish repeated what his brother had said, the man they were talking to was soaked from the storm outside.

"H' was coverd in these -" The warrior held out a blue-purple flower on a thorny plant, even holding it had made the mans hand bleed. Merida took her hand away from her dads grip and went to touch the flower, it bit at her touch and a bead of blood grew from her finger. No one had ever seen this type of flower anywhere near their lands. "He screamed , an, we found a whole grup of them headin towards the castle. We caugt them jus in time. Killed the lot of them. My king their ships ar on the horizons. We could hardly spot them dipping and bobbing in the waves , the storm concealed them!" King Fergus looked at his sons and finally at Merida, then nodded for the Warrior to be dismissed.

"Start getting the men to the battlements." Fergus Dunbroch looked over to the Lords that sat next to him, they were talking to their own men, they had been informed already. Grant made his way up the steps to the group. An announcement had to be made, the Norsemen had come.

Fergus Dunbroch got up from his chair using his arms to help him up on his prosthetic wooden leg. He could see the bagpiper across the room and signaled him to stop the music. The hall was still full of mummering people.

"Tonight we celebrate the fallen.-" The King started to talk and the mummering of the crowds fell away. All looked onward even they had sensed something of importance had happened. " -that they celebrate with us tonight. Aye I ken I can feel them here wi'th us. Your father-" He held Grants shoulder and he stood at the side of the king. "Greggor is here, with us. Lord MacGuffin had died fighting the Norseman , no better a cause to have given your life for. That is why we arr all here, to protect our families, our friends. WE just gotten word they arr, approaching, The Norseman arr here. -"

Grant raised his voice, he sensed the king feeling a bit disheartened by the thought of battle this night, it had come too soon.

"No better a time to hav come." Grant made his hand into a fist as the crowds had started to uneasily talk among themselves. But a speech from Grant MacGuffin was unheard of as he was typically quiet. This strange sight made them silence down , ears tuned to hear every word from the new lord.

"They took enogh. They took ar homes, when they burrrned them, and made us feel unsafe. They took Our famiilies ar wee lasses , nevr t' see them again. They took m' da', your Lord MacGuffin." Clansmen from clan MacGuffin nodded, those wearing them took their hats off their head and looked down upon their feet. They still mourned for him like their new lord Grant had. "Tonight - he is with us. An whot do yu' think he wud say? He would want uhs to drive them back into the sea like the deamons they ar. An the people they took t' never see agin, the one's they left behind fur us to burry. They ar here tonight. To figt by our sides on'e last tim'! What better time t' hav them come then tonigt?!" Some of the men had begun to sob, but pulled themselves into a cheer with the rest of the clansmen. They had been moved by the young mans words. If he was ready to fight for the fallen members of his family, they could fight for theirs.

Merida was shocked. Her brothers and her father were the only ones she knew who could stir a crowd. But tonight the One to draw the men together was not even herself, it was the quiet man in front of her. She reflected how alone he must feel. She had her family ,her clansmen; she was not completely accountable for all of their lives as Grant was to his men. It was all riding on his back, the lives of his men where under his protection. On top of that his father had been killed not long ago, not enough time to mourn. He was a large man, but the burden on him must have been ten times larger. Merida fought back the heartbreak and the guilt of MacGuffin's fathers death as she reached towards her brother. Hamish gave a half smile and passed Merida her bow and fletch of arrows. Hamish had promised to bring them to the hall that night , they went with Merida wherever she went. Silently she put the bow over her shoulder as she listened to the rest of the speech , being taken up by her father once again.

"WE will all start to get to the battlements. Lets do that in a easy an calm fashion." The people started to leave the hall. The Druid reached her hands out to the sky.

" May the gods be with us."

Merida looked at the Druid thinking about her words. No, it was not going to be the gods they depended on, it would be up to Merida . She was not ready , her plan had never materialized in her head on what she was suppose to do, but whatever it was it had to happen tonight. She only knew It included Crom Cruach.


	19. Chapter 19

Around the castle the mood was turned from a celebratory to a serious one. But something was different this time there was comradery, there was hope. The clans men showed no feelings of despair or sadness, only pride and courage as they walked together to the smithshops. Yes they had been caught off guard but Grants Speech made them feel oddly calm. Where there the spirits of the fallen around them this night? No one could tell for certain but it felt as if they were ten fold their size that moment. Even most of the mothers had gone to the battlements, this was surly the last stand.

But Merida was not going to be with these men and women as they moved towards to the armory. The crowds all moved forward to the north of the castle but she was headed in a different direction, and there was no time to waste. Merida took the circlet of stones off her head and set them on the kings chair. She gripped the bow, and strung it over her shoulder and across her chest. The bow was sturdy and almost unbreakable, it matched her own mood. The feel of the wood that had served her for many years gave her confidence.

Merida took a step off the podium but was caught in the arms of Young Lord Macintosh. Ian whirled her around in his embrace, Merida was pail and shocked, her hands had gripped her bow and gave her no chance to push him away before he planted a kiss on her forehead. Merida was baffled but her mood soon started to turn into seething anger if it was not for the cheer of the crowds around her. It had created a positive mood for the men walking to battle, someone had kissed the untouchable princess and it caused the Clans to whoop in excitement. For that reason alone she did not threaten Ian Macintoshe's life as he knelt in front of her still holding her with his long arms.

"My bonnie Quinne-" Ian batted his long black eyelashes up at her as she tried with all her might to not clout him on his beautiful head. In her eyes roared a fire of hatred that mimicked the suns own flame. "Wait for me to return, an we shall hav our dance,in the meantime- I will figt fur you." And with that Ian departed quickly , the men from his clan lifting him upon their shoulders as he blew her more kisses. Merida was bright red, and shot a glance at MacGuffin who returned it with his own shocked look. Grant's hand was bone white from the fist he made and seeing this Merida started to make her way through the crowds. She could not place Grants emotion so she decided that was her que to leave.

In Merida's own mind she believed there was no chance between her and Grant, not after the words he had said to her defending Bridget, despite the vow and what he had told her at Castle MacGuffin. Bridget was far more of a beauty then she was, Grant deserved another more fitting bride. Her life was to serve her clansmen in battle, not to sew and brush her hair all days long. 'He would be better off w' a real lass, not a warrior like me. Besides -' Merida thought to herself as she was slowly fighting being swept up in the clansmen as she crossed the hall. 'he donea even hav' any want for me.' Merida had only one destiny to concentrate on , and that was the one that included the Ancient blood God, Crom Cruach and herself. The crowds around her acted like raging water and she struggled though them as if she crossed a strong rapid. Merida was making her way down the hallway ,but was halted by a noise behind her.

" MERIDA!" Hubert was pushing himself forward towards her through the moving people. She turned back to see him, but continued on forward, rushing now. "Stop!" Hubert yelled again.

"Lev' me be Hubert! I hav' T' go." yes there was no stopping her, she was as steadfast as the stone the cliffs were made of. " I'donea need m' brothers t' be alookin after me! Go find the other wee devils Hubert!" She swayed onward.

"Harris and Hamish ar' fine! They can take care of themselves! But whot about you? Where ar' you goin?" Hamish and Harris were out of view, there was no turning back now for Hubert.

"I need t' go an find-" Merida shook her head she did not really have an answer, she just knew she needed to do something. She could change this war , it was all on her , but she had not a clue what she needed to do. Merida stopped in her tracks and pushed a handful of hair out of her face so her hand could rest on her forehead. 'What am I to do?'

"Whoot ? Whoot is so importint that you ar' willin to run from battle?" Hubert was desperate, pleading, he felt ill as he finally caught up to his sister who was standing still. She was in deep thought, and he put a hand on her shoulder looking into her distant eyes.

'That was it.' She as running from battle, running away was a theme of hers. But what if it was running into battle that could fix things? Until this sudden clarity she thought killing Crom was her destiny in order to save all that she loved. But what if Crom was the answer all along? What if it was not her battle to fight Crom but bring him to battle the Norseman? The men from the north were terrifying but Crom was a real monster from ancient times. Crom had fed on Norsemen for who knows how many years now? Is that what the mother Goddess wanted her to do? To release the great evil from under the earth? Danu pointed at Crom Cruach in Merida's vision , it was the answer. She needed to bring Crom to the Norsemen. A dark wicked smile grew on the Princess's fair face as she thought deeply ;she needed a way to draw the monster to follow her. It was all or nothing.

"Merida whoot is wrong?" Hubert could feel his stomach turn, his sister was a stone stuck in time, yet she had such a dark look in the blue emeralds that were set in her fair face. Merida had the same stillness in her eyes the Druid had, a look of deep dark hidden secrets, and it gave him the shivers. Then tears beaded in his sisters eyes and she turned to her younger brother, snapping out of her sleep, a smile upon her lips.

"Hubert you dam devil. You did it. You figured it oot. Where ar the bodies?" Merida smiled up at him genuinely thankful that her plan was now clear. Hubert drew back retching his hand from his sisters.

"Hav' yu gone mad?" He was pail and clammy from her dark mood. His sister asked for the bodies of dead men. Merida grabbed her brothers hands again. "The dead norseman, where ar' they?"

"Merida your frigtin'in me." Hubert's face drained of color, but he was here to help. He already committed himself no matter what he had to face, even his sisters madness. Merida always could figure things out, and Hubert secretly knew she was where Harris drew his wit from, though he would never say that out loud to his eldest brother. 'Maybe she is on t' somethin.'

There, a few yards behind Hubert was Lord MacGuffin. He still stood on the podium watching the brother and sister talking to each other. The other lords had disbanded and disappeared into the crowds a while ago. Yet, there MacGuffin stood, his second in command was hissing in his ear, trying to urge the lord to move, to join the clans to battle.

But Grant was torn: there was the woman who saved his life leaving for her own destiny, and on the other hand was his duty of his lordship to his clansmen. This was the last time he would have the opportunity to watch her beautiful red hair move with every excited word spoke. Merida was speaking unheard words to her brother too far away from Grant to hear. Her emerald blue eyes dazzled even from afar. Grant would have no time to bid her goodbye, he was already wasting time watching her where he was. That is why his heart broke then, and it's pain made him rooted as an old tree. She was so smart as well as a strong warrior. The bravest he had ever seen, and as brave as Merida was she was just as beautiful. Grant Fought tears as he felt jealousy for Ian's kiss, Ian was the braver man to have been so bold to Merida. Grant felt despair, never got the chance to tell Merida he loved her still, and he realized His feelings too late. Yes, he told her how he felt at castle MacGuffin, but that was quickly washed away by his bumbling idiotic behavior of standing by his untrustworthy ex fiancé.

Merida, thirty yards away, talked excitedly to her brother ,both of his hands in her own.' Her hands', Lord MacGuffin remembered what they felt like as they danced. Grant was unmoved , bewitched by his own memories unfolding in his head. Though Grant could not hear what the siblings were saying but he did not need to. She was leaving, and He knew where she was going.

The pain of heartbreak rattled through him, it was moments ago his wishes came true and he was held by the princess as they both laughed the night away in the music. But that seemed to be a different world, as if it happened hundreds of years ago. The norsemen were here and he would need to lead his men, something Merida was not going to be present for.

"This- could,b' it" Grant said distantly, his fathers best friend followed his gaze to the red haired Princess. Grants second in command stopped hissing and urging at Grant MacGuffin, coming to the sad realization of his Lords' unacquitted love for the strong princess of Dunbrouch, he was silenced. A large hand rested on Grants shoulder, Macintosh and Dingwall were leading the charge on the sea by boat , they had a few moments. A few moments Grant his Godchild would reflect on his whole life if she was lost tonight. Lord MacGuffin was saying goodbye.

"Im goin , you know I am , do you have any idea where they keep the bodies?" Merida was dead serious. Hubert nodded. There was no use, he would rather help his sister then hinder her. His elder brothers had already proven themselves. Harris was the crowned prince , Hamish was the skilled warrior, what was he? Yes Hubert was a warrior like his brother Hamish, and he was smart like his brother Harris, but his star never shone as brightly as his brothers before him. He was not useless, he would help his sister then join the fray.

" Aye , I will show ya. They would bring them t' the sheads…" Hubert took her hand in his own tightly and shouldered the crowed ahead of them in a hurry.

"How do you-"

"The smell of human flesh rotting. Its something hard to forget. I found it a while ago, rememberin what you said aboot 'no graves' that one day. Well I found where they keep em, it's the sheds behind the pig stalls, good place t-hid-em. Most would think its just a smell o-the pigs , Com-on!" They were moving at a faster pace now that the taller sibling was leading through the crowd.

Something inside of Merida made her turn her head behind her. There ; shrinking, bobbing in and out of her view, a man gazing at her was being lost in the waves of the crowds. That man was MacGuffin. He stood on the podium, his heart breaking in his eyes, she knew he wanted to be with her, but he was a lord and his clan needed him. There was no chance Grant would be following her this night, this may be the last time they would look at each other again. Grant knew that too, he lifted his giant paw of a hand , Merida felt her heart squeeze in her chest. She raised her own hand to the Lord of Castle MacGuffin, maybe it was to thank him, or to say good bye, whatever reason , it pained her more then the broken arm had. Grant nodded and smiled, then turned and hurried to the head of the moving wave of people, the ships were being launched in the storm, they would face the invaders on the land and meet them on the ocean waves. Hamish and Harris would flank their father in battle , they would be fighting the Norsemen on the land.

* * *

Even in the rain the smell was noticeable as they approached the pig pens. two men from clan Macintosh dragged a dead norseman each to the shed as Merida and Hubert hid themselves behind a stone wall of the sheep barn. They went unnoticed hidden in the blinding rain by the men dragging the fresh bodies. The men quickly went into the sheds and then left just as fast returning to battle. Merida grabbed at her brother as he went to approach the sheds as the Macintosh men departed. Digging her heels in the slick grass under her feet she grabbed his hand stopping him. She yelled at Hubert, her dress had clung to her heavily being fully saturated with rain. But Merida's voice was drowned out by the hard downpour.

"Wha?! " Hubert turned to his sister.

"Hubert ! Get m horse!" She took her bow off her shoulder and looked for the knife that was in her fletch of arrows.

Hubert held up his arms in confusion. 'what horse was she talking about?'

"What dos it even look like?" Hubert was not much of an early riser and Merida was already back from her morning ride by the time he decided to get out of bed. He had never seen the animal before.

" ASK a boy named EVES!" Merida turned her brother into the direction of the stables, giving him a hard push. The stable boy , her Squire would still be in the castles stables arming the cavalry, he would still be there. " Go run! Hes in the stables !" Hubert stretched his long deer legs and bolted with notable speed over the grass. Merida took off her under skirts and cut the top lacing off her corset. She gave a stretch the lacing undid itself inside her fine dress and she was able to breath. ' Much better.'

The princess tossed back the mop of hair hiding her face, somehow in the cold rain she was warm and unfeeling , a twinkle in her eyes shone. She notched an arrow and ran the rest of the way to the shed. The door was unlatched and she kicked it open her hands on a fully drawn bowstring ready to fire. But the shed was empty, save for the smell of death. She released slowly on the string holding the arrow and held both arrow and bow in one hand her attention to where the smell came from. She tuned many blankets over looked under piles of hay, knocked on the walls to see if they were hollow, but no luck. She was frustrated and let out an angry yell throwing a stool clear across the room. She had little time to waste, and every moment she heard the war drums sounding through the hills, somewhere out there men were dying. The stool landed with a curious thud. The floor was hallow. Merida threw herself at the floor boards and swept away at the hay and blankets franticly with her hands. There she found a handle and as she pulled on it with all her strength it gave way just as the door to the shed opened. It was pitch black outside though it was approaching daylight somewhere past the clouds. Merida was not one to be caught off guard she tossed the hatch door at the person who opened the door and in those seconds where the trap door lid was air bound she had fletched and drawn her bow.

But it was not a Norseman, it was her brother and he threw himself to the wall to avoid the oncoming door that broke in half as it collided with the stone wall beside him.

"BAWHEAD BAMPOT! You almost killed me!" Hubert seethed, the little squire Eves peered in uneasily at Merida, small fingers pinching his nose at the smell that came from within the room.

"Hubert ! Did y' bring-?" She smiled at her brother but he cut her off.

"AYE! I DID JUST THA! Brought the Tally-Washer o' the hourse yu' asked fur! Whoot is nex?!" Hubert was obviously shaken and was now in a fowl mood but smacking his hand to his face to cover his nose he stomped in towards the hole in the floor. "What kind of Helbeast D'ye find in ther?!" Hubert looked down the hole. "Now whot?" Merida's brother looked up at her.

"We need t' bring those men w' us attach them' t' th' horse!" Merida grabbed some rope her bow was across her chest again. Hubert looked like he was going to throw up from the smell, but brave little Eves ran inside the shed and found a trace and a yoke that he quickly tacked up her horse with. Eves was using the stool she had thrown to get the yoke over the horses head. Hubert took a man who was quite a bit rotten by under the shoulders and lifted him as much as he could, there was only four dead men left under the floorboards. Two rotten and two fresh. Not knowing what the creature liked , they took one of each.

The two red heads attached the men together and then to the tracers, it was set up so The princess could cut the yoke off the horse and make a clean get away, leaving the men behind. Hubert had no idea why his sister wanted the men attached to her horse.

"Whoot exactly ar' we hopein to accomplish with this?" Hubert looked at his sister as Merida hopped on the stool with one leg and leapt clean on top of the horse bareback. Hubert went to join her but she tightened her heels and the horse launched forward, and Hubert felt the horses hide slip out of reach under his large hands, she was gone.

"G'bye Hubert!" And like that she made it for the forest.

"Y' NUMPTY ! Donea get yurself killed!" Hubert was sore that he was ditched by his own sister, but she was going to travel much faster by herself then if he had come along and weighed her down. Hubert ran for the Castle again Eves following in haste.

* * *

Merida was riding as fast as the horse could take her, she would have had a hard time remembering were Crom Cruach's temple was but she had help. There infront of her she could make out the blue flames for a moment as she bolted towards them , their beautiful moans only audible as she drew passed .The rain only worsened as it lashed at Merida's face. It had become hard to see not only the wisps but the path, the drops blinding her as she squinted in the storm. Merida made it to the caves, the boulder was an obstacle she could not push out of the way by herself. The horse barely made it to a full stop when she leapt from his back. Merida attached the extra rope she carried with her all the way around the boulder and then back to the horses ties.

"Comon ya beauty." She soothingly stroked the workhorses nose as the rain washed over them."Let's all see whoot you got, common." She gave him a gentle pull and the horse hunched its shoulders into the weight of the yoke and the boulder began to move.

"Hurry now!" The horse snorted and pushed harder as the round stone gained some speed, Merida cut the rope and lead the horse by the mane away from the rolling stones path. The circle of stone rolled right off its track. There would be no holding Crom any longer in his underground shelter. He was free.

Merida could feel her heart pound, the horse reacted the same way, but there was no sign of the monster. The horse was quickly tied to the nearby sacrificial rock. Something had to be done to draw out Crom.

Merida , with eyes glued to the gaping darkness of the open cave before her ,approached the dead men still tied to her horse. Her knife drawn, she punctured the bloated body with her knife , gasses escaped with a hissing sound and it belched clotted blood and melted flesh as Merida continued to the next man. The puncture wounds from the rotted man let some liquid seep to the ground. But was the enough? From what Merida remembered the monsters eyes were small and looked night blind. Maybe he would need a trail to follow, like a snake? She swing her knife over her head and came down on the fresh body with both hands on the handle , the blade sunk to it's hilt. Drawing her sleeves up Merida ripped a large slit into the freshly dead man, and plunged her hands into his still warm belly. Grabbing a handful of Hagfish like intestines she ripped them out of his bodyMerida was covered from the elbows down in blood and cleaned her knife off on her rolled up sleeve, there was no saving her fine dress now. She rubbed her hands on the grass and jumped on her horse cutting his ties to the rock, her knife put back in it's sheath with a shaking hand.

"cumon-comon-" Merida felt like she was going to be sick ,acid had built up in her stomach from the adrenaline. 'where was he?' The seconds felt like hours while she was waiting for something to happen. The horse whinnied under her from the smell of blood, pacing his feet, and Merida stroked his neck 'shusshing' him to be calm.

Merida pet the horse calmly as her eyes were fixed on the cave's opening.

Eyes , many, many , black unblinking eyes looked at her ,and Merida looked back.

"run."


	20. Chapter 20

MacGuffin watched as the ships came in. There was at the very least 10 visible boats on the raging seas, the trenches turned to mud ,the grass was a slimy dark green, almost black in the shadows of the storm. There was no more sun it hid itself behind the clouds and the rain came down on a slant. Macintosh and Dingwall boats had shoved off and met some of the raiders on the sea. The clansmen where the very best sailors being small , strong and wiry, unlike the men of Clan MacGuffin. There they stood shields ready walking calmly forward in neat rows to battle. Lord Grant MacGuffin watched the men in front of him wage war on the sandy shore below the castle Macintosh. Grants Second in command , his fathers best man, nodded at Grant. Giving a nod back Grant raised a large fist to motion to his men to halt. By his last head count they had over 50 men in his clan. The boats ahead of them would hold that much for each boat. They were grossly outnumbered, but the men stood stoic . Grant was the last defence , when he saw clan Macintosh give the signal; three flaming arrows shot strait up in the air, then they would advance. Behind the band of men stood another legion , this one being the kings own men. The Red haired brigade was 200 strong, but it was the honor of being a lord that made his own clansmen shield the larger group of men. The men wagging war tonight were soaked to the bone.

If Merida had been there she would have remarked on how Grant looked. For he was the same man then as he had been months ago when they first met at his home. He was dead to the screams and the drums, looking forward with scary calm. MacGuffin held his long sword in one monstrous hand and the other held up a wood and bronze shield. He had seen many battles some as young as when he was merely 14, his men had confidence in their young lord for he reminded them of his father in almost every aspect. He even fit into his fathers armor. The men around him vibrated, they wanted more then life itself to fight on the shore, they beat their shields in tune to the war drums. Amidst this chaos Grant MacGuffin held on to the old words of his father from previous battles fought.

"Fools look t' tomoorrow when wise men use t'night." Grant whispered the words under the drumming rain but the man at his side caught them in his ears. Gant's second in command nodded again.

"Aye."

" The ba'hstards ruush forrward an' then make a lin (line) o' shi'lds." The north men were known to have a strategy, there defence was great. But if they could only break that wall. 'it's a' rainin, I donegh ken if fire would help.' Then it came to Grant.

"Get the pikes. We arr goin t' hav' t' keep them at long rrrang (range)." If they had a wall of their own the Northmen would have to break their ranks. The Man beside him nodded, but before he could make the orders clear to the men around him his Lord grabbed his upper arm in seriousness.

"How man'y people ken.(know)" Grant looked a bit sad.

"Whoot arr yu' talking aboot Lord." The man looked in confusion at his best friends son, now standing just as tall as he once did. Grant would out grow him in a few years , he would be a giant . The lord looked onward to battle ,his long blond beard heavy with rain ,his eyes distant.

"How many, men ken I fancy th' daughter o' our king." The man in green tartan beside him scoffed and shook his head. Grant MacGuffin always surprised with his quick wit. He was large but he had spent many hours reading and listening , this made him as quick as a whip. There was no lying to him.

"Most suspect some surt' o' (sort of) feelings."

"The hall- where Aye held back a' watched her leave… did thah?-"

"Ach noo Lord. We all ken much before thah." Less then a hundred yards Merida's father, the king stood. It was extremely brash to talk of the princess this way so close to the king. But by the looks of it if anyone was going to be able to fight the Bear king one on one , the person with the highest chance of surviving would be the son of the Gold Mountain. Grant MacGuffin.

"Then it will'neagh surpriz' them when I tell her father I will'neagh have another." The rain was cold , but Grants words chilled the man to the very marrow of his bones. Grant was serious , he had not even stuttered his vow. His fathers best friend clasped him by the shoulder and gave it a hard grip and shake. Grant looked over at the man who was smiling with approval and a tear in his eye. Grant had turned into a man, he had no fear and was no longer timid of his desires , The Golden Mountain would be proud.

* * *

Merida was known for her ability to ride. Some in her clan even feared racing her , but she used her time riding to think ,to escape. Even as she dodged the limbs of trees something felt at peace with her. The faces of her family came to her like the whisps appeared on the trail in front of her. Her brothers her father, they had not sent her home . She earned her place as a warrior, for she and her family knew she was always a warrior. But now it was known to all the clans. She felt as if she was flying , and many would swear that she was as her speed was the greatest many had ever seen. Merida had rode on the backs of the family dogs when she was just able to stand, then she gravitated to horses. Ever since then her mother complained Merida smelled of the barn, but how was her mother to know what the freedom of flying felt like?

The trees slammed to the ground close behind her, as a great worm from the underworlds ripped through them.

Eve's was right , the horse she rode tonight was the fastest she had ever seen. Merida marveled as his feet thundered like the very war drums of the gods. Her body fought its natural reaction to tighten to her fear of what fell trees behind her. If she tensed up now, she would fall. She did not dare look back but loosened her reigns on her horse. The horses neck flattened and he ran as a cat would ; bounding wildly forward, he reached terrifying speeds as his mane whipped her in the face painfully. The rain was not helping and her heart nearly broke with anticipation. 'Any moment he could slip in this durn mud.' Merida noted betraying her courage for a moment, thankfully she kept the side affects of fear from her body. Now was not the time for failure. Above her the birds shot from their hiding places and flew past her overhead through the thundering rain. They would risk drowning, being trampled, or being struck out of the sky, then have to face the ancient god behind them. Merida had raced men before, but never had she raced time. Never had she wished to challenge her speed against a god, against fate. Merida would have never believe the stakes would ever be this high; the lives of her clansmen, her family, her brothers an her father. Their fates were resting with her and a once crazed un-rideable horse. Deer and foxes streaked out of the foliage to dart ahead of her , some fell behind being too sick or too weak, some slipped in the mud. Merida knew their fate as Crom Cruach did not discriminate what a meal looked like. For a mouth that could swallow a small home whole would always be hungry. Crom was usually never satisfied ,but after his great fast, he was driven to a madness of hunger ,for blood. The forest exploded behind her , ancient trees crashed to the floor, the path that was wide enough for two horses riding side by side was not wide enough for Crom. With furry only a giant could conjure he slithered forward slamming into old oaks and splintering them with the might of his anger.

If Merida was on open ground, she would have been swallowed by the rows and rows of teeth by now, but the forest had bided her enough time to start to make a growing gap between her and her pursuer. The trees that Danu planted herself caused Crom the most grief, as it wounded him as he splintered them . His anger grew as the gap of space between him and his meal of human flesh widened , so multiplied his strength and madness. The sounds of the monster behind her grew farther away and he wailed in frustration. Merida never gave herself a moment of feeling triumphant. Tragedy becomes those who celebrate early, but the rain lessoned its sting those moments it seemed , and she yelled encouragement down to her horse.

Three arrows shot to the clouds , the signal was given. MacGuffin raised his sword and a band of MacGuffin warriors walked forward. Their bard drew a breath and started their own battle song ,thunder sounded as they marched towards the docked norse ships. One was aflame as two others stood unscathed beached on the sand. Fear struck Grant . There in the mayhem was a man swinging a war hammer. He was norse and he too had an 'odal' symbol carved into the flesh of his forehead. A Berserker. There was more , more then the one. They wore the skins of animals and laughed ,howled like wild beings. They had lost their minds long ago. Memories of Grants first battle fighting beside Merida came back to him. Merida lay at the feet of one of them, her head moments away from being smashed to pieces, by the shield of a Berserker, like the ones that stood to meet them on the battle field. Grant was hyper-aware of the stitches he had been given by one of their blades. He raised his arm and roared , his clansmen followed. The Norsemen looked up and smiled at the on coming mass of men. But Grant MacGuffin heard something above the roar of his 50 men and battle ahead of them. He turned to the forest that stood 400 yards from where the Norsemen stood. 'The trees.'

Grant put down his sword , and looked in shock to the woods. His men followed his gaze. There , trees wider then three men could wrap their hands around , fell. The thunder that was mistaken from coming from the cloud crowded skys had come from the woods beside them. The men of Clan MacGuffin silenced in such a way that put fear into the Clansmen of DunBroch behind them. King Fergus pushed through the crowd to join Lord MacGuffin. The Bear King was about to open his mouth when he glanced at what Grant had been transfixed on.

His daughter.

" MMMerrrrridaaaaaaa!" The Bear King roared over the clash of war.

Merida burst from the treeline like a salmon would from a rapid river. 'She was alive.' Grant was the first to cheer, and it heightened the emotions of the men. They clapped and yelled and started as a run towards the battle, but King Fergus held back Grant with his monstrous hand. King Fergus had his eyes on the trees and he was right to stop the young lord. For behind the woman Grant loved the most, was what they all feared in the darkest of nights. It was Crom. Grant only saw a glimpse of him once, but to witness the beast in his entirety made the men too afraid to even shout out. before they could swing a single sword the men of the on coming brigade skidded to a halt as they witnessed a monster slither with great speed towards them. The Rider ran into the crowd of warring men and time broke from its stillness. North men and Berserkers alike witnessed what they believed was a monster by a different name. As monster rushed through them into the water , following the red haired rider on her black horse they fell upon the ground moaning their own name for the beast "Jörmungandr."

The giant snake seemed endless in the rain that made it hard to see past a couple hundred yards or so.

Grant pushed past the tightness of his stitches threatening to rip open as he ran as fast as his body would take him. The red haired woman he pledged to protect was being chased by a nightmare turned to reality. Crom Cruach gave out a screech of pleasure ,of triumph as he swept up dead and live men into his mouth of endless teeth. Near by men dropped to the ground blood running from their broken eardrums , the sound was similar to iron tearing against iron.

Crom needed more he was frenzied being surrounded by the dead but still he chased the woman on horseback as she lead the horse into the waves . Crom ripped through the men but once in the water he lost all smell of the maiden. His eyes though accustomed to the darkness were useless to pinpoint the small human. Then something drew his attention. Hundreds of bodies thrashing in the water.

Merida watched as the god Crom Cruach dove past her. The horse reared his head above the waves his eyes large and white from fear of the serpent. Merida was soaked and trying to catch her breath between the walls of water that pounded her , the horse slipped from under her and she was adrift. Still she watched the great worm. Had this been enough?

On land behind her was a great charge of men , shaped as a spear. At its tip was Lord MacGuffin and her father The Bear king. The large force of men had see n their crown princess dive into the water with her mount , and lost her there in the black sea. Their rage was almost as great as the blood god Crom's. The spear shape legion of men broke the Viking defences but they did not stop, they continued to the water. The north men were terrified by the sight of crom and it weakened their ferocity. It had been enough to break something. An onlooker would have felt it feel it. It was a type of seasickness , the snap of a breaking string of fate affecting everyone near is. Fate hade begun to change.


	21. Chapter 21

The triplet princes had broke off from the charge once past the Viking shield wall. But something strange had begun to happen. The Norse men fought but their eyes drifted from battle to the worm that was now curling its body upon a long ship. The worm shook violently as it consumed ,for it was finally able to eat as much as his will desired. Screeching painful notes like a bagpipe of unheard of size the monster relished its meals in ecstasy. Hamish swung his broad sword a few feet ahead of his brothers that flanked him. For as much time as Harris spent in the library , he spent his time in the armory. Their foe started to shrink in size slowly , as Harris brought his long ax down upon a Northman's chest he looked up through the veil of rain. There he saw the faint shadows of their enemy making it back to their boats. The fleet had change their course, A controlled retreat was taking place and the north men, They had lost heart. Another boat sank under the crippling weight of Crom, but he continued to slither ,To another boat. Harris' mind was working over time as he deflected the a red haired mans pike with a sweeping blow and a leap out of the way. 'Where is our sister? What can be done about this unheard of monster?' for the first time panic set into Harris as he yelled to Hubert , his voice cracking with fear.

"Find HER Hubert!" Hamish also heard his brothers call and seeing him loose his cool he sliced through the red headed man apposing his eldest brother with his long sword and stayed closely by his side as if they fit together. Hubert being the tallest and the fastest of the three made his way through fighting men like a great hart of the forest. His brothers fighting like a single man with four arms shoulder to shoulder behind him. He was in little danger as he made it to the shore where many other Celts had waded into the waters looking for the only daughter of the King.

Men gasped for air through the thick rain that could have drowned many on dry land, with the added danger of the waves maddened by the storm their princess was surely lost. Hubert bounded over the waves peeling off his armor. He ran past a great boulder of a man yelling out in fright trying to fight his own armor and weight to make it a few more steps into the waves. His long gold braid had revealed it was lord MacGuffin , but he was held up as he fought a Norseman in chest deep water , yelling out into the sea with every breath he took. There past the great man was a black horse. Fear Held on to Hubert .

As stories go, A black horse form the sea was a Kelpie , a water horse with long vicious teeth and an appetite for human flesh. But Hubert prevailed over his fear and rushed to the horse half swimming in the high waves and trudging through the low tide between them. He grabbed onto the horse's mane. The horse would have been not visible if he was standing where the people near shore were waiting for his return. It was thankfully his sisters horse and as he grabbed hold of the crazed stallion maddened out of its mind Hubert had a chance to look around him. It was utter chaos. Men fought each other with no structure ,no battle form. Men from the north ran back to their ships and a monster on the waves would soon run out of men to eat and surely turn on the clansmen. But Hubert had a horse, Merida's horse. There was hope she was close.

Behind Hubert 30 yards McGuffin shaking in anger held the man he fought under the waves till he lost all movement. "Bac' t' Ye watttery grave W'it ye! MERIDAAAA!" MacGuffin looked around helplessly as he still held the Norseman's limp body under the black water until the waves tugged him free of Grants grip.

Hubert squinted against the salt and rain in his eyes. There were two bobbing figures in the waves, one of them he could not make out but the other was a woman with long red hair like molten gold. Hubert let out a cry of joy and Grant immediately turned into the direction of Hubert's voice. Hubert let the horse go where it made it's way to the shore, but he moved in the opposite direction. Fighting every bit of the way he made it towards the two human heads bobbing in the surf. Grant threw his helmet into the sea then his chainmail Merida's brother must have found her. Behind them King Fergus was fighting the very last of the Norse as they franticly returned to their ships. Their focus away from the Celts and now upon the giant worm. Two more ships had been ignited and now four full long ships illuminated the darkness of the storm. The ships started to drift away and the Celtic ships were back in port. Lord Innis Macintosh bounded from his ship to King Fergus taking him in his hands.

"Where IS MY SON!" Both men turned to a group of men in the ocean, men had gathered around them and the King and his Lord made it there in haste.

There, three people retuned to land , the first to be recognised was Lord McGuffin. Men gathered on the shore waiting for them to come closer , the battle had been avoided but many looked upon the raging ocean at the shadow of the monster Crom in anticipation. He would be slithering back shortly and the men clutched their weapons, glancing now and then to the three making there way back to dry land.

Hubert held his sister under her arm and his stomach turned as he saw her head bob limply forward out of the corner of his eye , she was as cold as the waves.

Something happened then.

The storm broke and in the distance the monster was in light for all to see in horror.

Men bent at the knees , some even the battle hardened loosened their bowls in fear. Merida had never even seen the monster in its entirety. And then it let out a scream.

The monster had been busy consuming the passengers of a long boat, but even the soft light from the faint cloud cover hit the skin of the monster it let out a noise that was heard for miles. Those that had not already fallen upon their knees did so now. This time in pain. The noise made the men returning to shore falter. The pain was so great even Hubert fell to his dismay and his sister lifelessly slumped forward ,head under the waves. The man next to her who had brought her body from the deep, he too failed to keep on his feet. Yet though the blinding headache of the monsters death throws Hubert witnessed one man coming towards them. It was Grant. His grabbed the princess under her shoulders and lifting her up so she would rest upon his breast plate above the salt and water of the sea. He too slumped, finally affected by the noise tearing eardrums to ribbons. But he only took one knee as the noise slowly died down. Over Hubert's shoulder he saw the worm thrash in the soft sunlight, with its great body it snapped the mast of the ship it rested some of its body on. Then it slipped down into the waves far from land.

But there was no cheer, no laughter not even a sigh of relief. There in Grants arms was a limp body, hair long and flowing as a sea of fire, white skin like chalk, her dress mimicked the color of the sea she had been pulled from. Grant looked up and in front of him were the two responsible for Merida being in his arms.

It was Ian Macintosh and Hubert her brother. Ian being the man who had jumped from his fathers boat and swam past the monster Crom to save the Daughter of DunBroch. Young lord Macintosh with hard features grabbed the princess from Grant's arms , for Ian had every right to do so. But though outwardly clam ,inside Grant fought the urge to grab the hilt of his sword. Nonetheless he let the black haired Celt take the woman from his arms, and a slow procession made it back to the castle. Men started to pick themselves up from battle and a small cart was the only thing that moved quickly , as it picked up the dying and the ones destined for the sick beds.

Ian made his way to the castle the woman in his arms resting on his shoulder but her face covered by her almost pin strait red hair made her look as if she was nothing more then a life sized doll. They were followed closely by Hubert ,Hamish Harris and their father. Then the lords and the young lords behind them followed by what was left of the clans men.

Eves had waited with Merida's horse at the castle gates for her return, but he was struck with the same sadness as the men returning from the battle when he saw her at the head of the warriors. Harris looked upon the small messy hair and mire covered child and spoke the first words, since finding their sister.

"Brring t'he healer , quickly th'en." Eve's vanished with the quickness of his feet, running as if his own life was at stake.

* * *

There was a scary confusion in the castle. The north men had gone and the men returned almost in the same numbers as they had left the castle with. But there was no joy and the women of the castle clustered together watching the procession, coming to the sad realization why there was an absence of victory. Soon some of the women more prone to emotion then the others began to faintly weep, but they were not alone.

As King Fergus took the small woman from Ian Macintosh he too did not hold back the silent tears from his eyes. His only daughter, so small in his large hands was all he could see . The Royal family of DunBroch made it up the stairs once inside the great hall to their rooms , with unseen tears of their own for their sister and their princess. They were followed by a young stable boy gripping the hand of an elderly woman clad all in white with sweeping silver hair to the floor.

Grant MacGuffin tuned at this time to Ian Macintosh , they looked at each other in silence, Ian in small victory and Grant in defiance. Grant had sustained a few wounds and his blood mixed with his sopping wet cloths leaving a growing puddle of watery blood at his feet. Ian on the other hand had come from the battle almost unscathed. They had let the royal family grieve in peace but they would stay at the bottom of the stares until there was an announcement. The men had now gripped each other in a silent war of their own. Ian had saved the princess 'twice' now. The first time he took the title away from Grant at the battle in castle MacGuffin, but now he had truly saved her. In the minds of the two men they were both rightful in asking the princess for her hand. But to the rest of the castle who had not known the truth. If the princess lived, Ian was her rightful suitor.

Grant felt the tension mount and it would have continued to do so if his right hand man had not peeled him away from being feet of Ian Macintosh.

Grant sat in the great hall at one side with his clan and Clan Macintosh at the other with the Dingwalls in the middle. The healers had made there way to the great hall tending the men there instead of the sick beds as they refused to leave without word if their princess lived.


	22. Chapter 22

the Druid was older then most would ever believe she was. The woodcarver Merida had met long ago was a child compared to the druid. Witches tasted long lives but they were still not immune to natural ageing. But the woman who was only slightly wrinkled around her features would have been dust if it was not for her connection to the mother goddess. She had seen castles rise from the chalk of the lands to be torn down , and when she was a girl she remembered the fairy folk and the elves more plentifully found then they were now. Her long silver hair danced slowly to her movements as she worked carefully but with haste on a candle in the shape of a human. The princess behind her was holding on to her soul by threads. She would have been dead, but there was hope the clansmen were counting on her. With long willow like fingers the druid carved Meridas name into the candle. A bit of her twisted inside , she knew this was all she could do but she could not oppose the will of the gods. If they wished to take her they could. The old woman in soft whit cotton looked behind her in the dim light. The curtains had been drawn to keep the warms in the room but the sun started to shine through the mists after the rain. There a white maid lay without signs of life under many blankets in a bed pushed close to the fire.

The lady of the gods took her candle and placed it upon a wooden chair next to the bed. She lit the candle and set herself beside the child, brushing her still damp hair with her elegant fingers.

 **"Goddess mend and candle burn sickness end good health full moons light , with helping hands , I spread good health throughout the lands."**

The candle's light once a dim flicker began to grow and grow consuming the candle.

 **"spread energies far and near , to heal this earth that I hold dear. And all of those so dear to me , with harm to none , so mote it be. "**

as the woman touched the head of the woman she could feel her dreams , but she was saddened. Merida dreamt of what had happened , the great monster chasing her. The elderly woman coo'ed at the young woman petting her head as the candle died down to a normal flame again.

 **"there there…"** She sighed , trying to calm the soul of the woman, her life was fleeting.

The woman in white turned to the King as he looked at her as a small sad boy would have.

 **"King Fergus I have done all I can , but I fear she is being kept from us by Manannan Mac Lir."**

Manannan Mac Lir Was the god of the sea, a great king of the fairy folk he had compassion towards humankind and often saved them. He must have been present at the battle and when she fell into the sea he must have caught her. For Mac Lir loved bravery and having many children of his own he would never stand by to let this brave child drown. Manannan loved the human children so much he would take them across the sea to Tir'na'Nog . The land of the forever young. This is what she feared.

 **"King,"** She tread lightly looking at the sad shadows on his face . **"I wish to address the clansmen."**

This was unheard of. The druid never made announcements unless it was of dire importance. King Fergus was caught deeply in his own emotions that he just nodded dismissively. Fergus drew closer to his pale child dragging a chair from the corner of the room to the bed side close to the burning candle . He walked along the stone floor with his distinct sounding foot falls , the sound of a large mans boot and then the heavy peg leg hitting the floor , as he sat down beside her so did his sons. Save they knealed bedside the bed as the king took his daughters hand in his own monstrous ones. Hamish tucked his head down and took a spot at the foot of the bed. Harris sat beside her resting his cheek on her cold forehead doing his best to not let his tears run down upon her skin. But poor Hubert .

Hubert in his heart took the full blame.

He was kneeling beside Hamish and buried his head into the many blankets at the foot of Meridas bed , gripping them in fist full's and shuddering uncontrollably. He wept , for he blamed his own legs , that they were not fast enough. He blamed his eyes for not being keen enough to spot her quicker in the storm. And his own heart for not being brave enough to not flinch at the sight of what he thought was a kelpie.

Harris looked on with concern to his younger brother, and looked at Hamish with sympathy. Hamish understood his brothers eyes and he began to pat his brother Hubert on the shoulder in comfort, as comfortingly as he could be.

* * *

Down the stairs in the great hall there was a great murmuring. The men had begun to talk , woman healers ran here and there and people were eating and drinking now. Everyone had their own idea of what was going to happen or what had happened in battle. There was much mystery about the events of that morning, but now it was late evening.

Ian Macintosh had been celebrated for his bravery and now was sleeping off the ale near the foot of the stairs with the rest of his clansman still in a victorious mood around him.

The Dingwalls were calculating, they had been in whispers for the better half of waiting for an announcement to be made. What did this mean for them , what was about to happen? If the princess was dead what would happen to the bet? Rabbie Dingwall still felt he could beat out his opponent. And he hoped that his future queen was still alive so he could have a chance to win this chess game against the other pawns. But his father was more then happy to be relived of the bet , though he would claim he would have won it if the princess would have lived.

But at the back of the hall in clear view of the stairs Grant MacGuffin was fighting sleep. His head would bob but he would shake himself awake and forced himself to be vigilant. His second in command had nodded off but had rose from his nap a few moments ago. Fraser MacGuffin was his fathers distant cousin. They had grown up together and he had the privilege watching the new lord Grant grow up as well.

Fraser watched his close friend and previous Lord's Son grow from timid to bold and un faltering.

 **"Geet' sum' slep." (get some sleep)** He said groggily realizing Grant had stayed up this whole time.

Grant had a change of tunic he was dressed in a thick new dry tartan and an almost as thick white shirt.

There was new stiches in his arms and on his finger of his left hand but they were not as deep as the one he had gotten at the battle at their home castle so there was little to worry about his injuries. But there was something to worry about, Grant had stayed awake when he should have been asleep.

 **"Ho'w c'n Aye slep whn I fear she will ne'vr wake?"**

 **(how can I sleep when I fear she would never wake?)**

There had not been an announcement in hours and there was a slow realization there would be no joyous news this night. Grant had to think of himself instead of his feelings for the princess. For if she was truly dead he would need to continue on as strong as he had been before for the sake of the clan.

 **"Go on then."** Fraser shrugged. There was no way around this . Grant was going to have to talk about it and then maybe he would get some peace and fall asleep. His Lord was not just going to put this away out of his mind and forget he ever cared about her.

It would be best for him to 'lance the wound'.

Grant nodded, casting a slow glance around they were alone enough to not be heard. Most men were asleep or in a drunken state.

 **"She has t' be allrrright.."** Grant said calmly but slurred his words a bit more then usual . Fraser shook his head .

 **"Whoot happens if that' not fate?"**

 **"She went against fate. An' won. We ar' all ere now a'nt we? We ar' all alive cuz of her. She just has t' be alive"**

 **"Aye…"** The battle was a bleak one . They would have lost but then Merida came out of the woods with a monster, many still unsure of what it was . But the people who had not questioned the monster was Clan Macintosh. They had not seemed surprised at its appearance, nor did they talk about where it had come from. They had ignored its existence . And that spoke a bit too much for Fraser MacGuffin.

" **Aye would not be alive if it wos noot fur her."** Grant's eyes betrayed his emotion , he let droplets of water decorate his thick blond lashes. But he never let a tear fall, he was not about to cry in front of anyone just yet.

 **"Ach, don't say tha'" His right hand man shook his head again.**

 **"On my fathers grave. It's the truth."** Fraser went a bit pale listening to was a long pause but then Fraser spoke uneasily.

 **"Ther' arr' plenty o'ther women…"** He started, but regretted the words as he spoke them for Grant turned his head away to look into his eyes. For the first time Grant had scared him with just a look. The Lord made it very clear there would never be talk about another woman, with just a glance.

 **" How many o'ther women ye' ken (know) ? How many hav' saved all of ur' lives Fraser? How many do ye' ken tha' can break a wild horse an' shoot arrows like the best of men , who can lead us into battle and who will fight beside us t' th' death? There ar' seldom men with that Bravery. "**

Fraser though older then his Lord looked down upon the ground, shamed.

 **"Aye, there-"** But Grant did not let him finish .

" **Aye, there is no other .** " Fraser nodded in agreement to his Lords words. But he felt he needed to speak , this time not to try to force Grant to come to reality, but to support him as his father would have. Grant was angry and tired , Fraser had done the opposite of what he wanted to do.

 **" Do you think she may ever' love ye?"** Fraser whispered. Grant broke his harshness at those words.

 **"I do nea ken"**

 **(I do not know)**

Grant took both of his hands in his lap and knitted them together in worry. He looked like a smaller more approachable man then .

 **"Aye trreted her badly-"**

Fraser went pale and moved forward.

 **"How badly?"** they were talking about their future queen, if she hated him it could mean death.

 **" Aye- accused her of being a unsavory woman."** Fraser bent over with his face in his hands.

 **"By the gods."** He moaned as if he was very ill. His lord was going to be hung and quartered he knew it.

 **" But Aye did say I wos surry, and I was wrong, ye see, it twas all Bridget's doin an all.."**

 **"Aye told yer father nea to trust her ugh nev'rr trust a black cat I say ! Bloody day this turned oot to be!"** Fraser hissed as if he was the one to be quartered and hanged.

 **" I did kiss her tho'"** Grant looked up at Fraser, the man looked up from his hands in shock.

 **"Aye?"**

 **"Aye woot?"**

 **"Aye is she goin t' kill ye or nea?!"** Fraser hissed again the emotions getting to him and he looked around for his pint of ale , putting it to his lips wishing he would drown in it.

 **" Nea, I thin'k Aye may hav' a chance…"** Grant looked to Fraser for support. He said the words so quietly his second in command could almost not hear them. But he did, and he choked on his drink, foam on his beard he shot almost half a mouth full through his nose. Fraser looked wildly at his Lord . Was he serious?

" **Why cus' she Nea' hav' killed ye just yet?"**

 **"Ach no, cuz' im goin' t' show her I nea want her crown or her beauty. Fraser. Aye finally feel tall , whn' Aye am' whit her. I feel Brave lik I ken do anythin'. Its like Da' an mum…"**

Fraser softened he remembered when himself and Grants father were just boys. He had been timid but never when he was with Gillian. Grants father was so much like the young Lord and it was his great strength that he owed to his Lady Gillian for. She always had his back and was kind to him, always with great intelligent things to say even when she was young. There could be no better lady of castle MacGuffin. But was Merida anything like Gillian? Fraser tried to picture his best friends wife riding a stallion shooting arrows. Gillian was not like Merida at all, but maybe he did not know her as his Lord did.

There was a long pause.

 **"You ken they say her betrothed should be Ian Macintosh…"** Fraser watched his Lord stir with unseen anger just below his calm surface, that was too scary for him at the moment so he continued. **"-but I hav' a bad feelin aboot it."**

Grant looked over at Fraser MacGuffin curiously.

 **"Aye hav' a feeelin they ar' nea as truthful as they hav' made themselves oot to be. I think the'y hav' somethin' to' do' with the monster…"**

Grant nodded.

 **"Aye went oot into the forrest with Merida , an I followed her, men had chased her an I helped her escape. I thin'k some he'r hav been feedin it, or tryin t' control it. Whootever the men wer' doin oot there they nea want'ed us t' see, they may have been willing to kill us to keep that secet if we did nea escape."** Fraser glanced over at the far side of the court. There Ian was still sound asleep.

 **"If that's th' case we can'nea let her wed Ian. If he is into som' black majic' or whoot'hav'u Merida would nea be safe.- but Grant."** Fraser looked at his Lord. **" tellin a girl off is nea how to woo her ye Baw head."** He used a soft tone on Grant but he was right and the realization of how foolish the young Lord had been made Grant crack a smile at Fraser. Then ,Finally Grant let his eyes close and he too fell asleep, while Fraser stood guard. It was going to be a long night.


	23. Chapter 23

She could hear her own breathing, and the sounds of the ship. There was a ship… was she on it? She stayed laying still where she was, eyes closed her body relaxed. Nothing told her this was reality so she acted as if this was a dream. She felt the rocking of the great waves, and a coolness on her face. But the boat was void of the ship's usually happy murmur of men. This was the boat to the other world she was sure of it. It was taking her to the land of the forever young. There was the moaning of ropes and wood on the sea in time to the waves as she rose and dropped the boat gently. It was so peaceful.

Merida lay there for a long time. She remembered loosing grip on the horses reigns and a wave crushing her, it took her to the jagged rocky bottom of the sea , a pain in her head. The pain was still present. Was there pain in the after world?

Merida reached up , her joints were hard to move, there was pain in every muscle , she touched her head with a frail hand.

Her hair was dry but there was a large bump where a scar formed but stitches held her wound together for the most part. Her lashes parted and a glimmer of blue green emerald eyes took in her surroundings for the first time in days . The light ignited a fire of pain in her head and she moaned to its burn.

Merida turned her head to the side her curls caressed her cheek comfortingly as her eyes tried to focus on a man close to her. He noticed her and came closer petting her locks and sniffling.

She could not fully see him yet but she knew that whimper. For as a child she was guardian to her brothers and kissed their knees if they had been scraped . All this time the sounds they made to stifle back the tears did not change.

"ach ye' Wee De'vl." Her mouth was very dry and her lips cracked painfully. The voice was no more then a breath of wind but the man had heard it.

Hubert threw his long arms over his sister and men in the ship began to gather. Weakly Merida raised her own hand to pet Hubert's back softly.

She was alive.

* * *

It had been a couple of days since the Princess's boat had left the Macintosh castle. Not only had the Royal family start to return to their homelands but the other clans started for home as well. Mysteriously Clan MacGuffin had packed up all the men and left as soon as the princess did, but not before the lord of Castle MacGuffin had a breef meeting with the Lord and young Lord of Castle Macintosh He was a guest to. The Clan had left with almost the same numbers as what they had come with. Macintosh and Dingwall took the brunt of the losses in the last battle as they were the first to charge not only on land but on the rolling sea. But no one had snuffed their noses at the blond bearded giants from the valleys as they had come with all the men that lived at Castle MacGuffin, to risk all the lives of your men for others was honorable.

Ian had been struck with the loss of ' **His** ' princess deeply. He reacted as if he was mourning and he spent some of his evenings by the hearth in His fathers great hall reciting badly put together poetry drunk. The women who had the chance to listen in swooned. ,And It could be said the men tried hard to look approvingly at Ian as he slurred his heart out , but wished the torment to stop.

Rabbie had been stepping through the scroll room with long graceful strides deep in thought, but looking absent as normal. he carried himself as his mother had and only inherited his fathers looks. He only seemed without interest in anything, for unknown to most he had an ear talented on picking up everything that was going on. So he could estimate the outcome of most situations and this made him appear calm and lay-back. But even Rabbie did not know of the health of Merida ; his only shot to the crown. At least, not yet anyway. For now he just stood blankly looking at the scrolls with a glazed over eyes , their was much to plan. His father had enlightened him on why the MacGuffins had raced away so quickly. Lord Dingwall did not yet put it together himself but Rabbie his son had a good idea of what was going on in the lower lands. He had over heard bits and pieces of news from here and there , and from that the spiders in his brain weaved together a clear web in his mind. It seems in the absence of their lord there was a clan war brewing in the lands of MacGuffin coming from the west. But the clan that was the aggravator was unknown to most, as Castle MacGuffin was relatively good to its neighbors. All save one that Rabbie knew about. Bridget must have returned home to her brothers and father with ill news of her planned marriage. Rabbie gave a smirk. The rest of them ; being clans Dingwall and the Macintosh were not entitled to help each other s in outer clan on clan skirmishes. From what he saw from the vow, they were only expected not to fight with each other. The new Golden Mountain , as his men started to call him , would be on his own with slightly more then half an army's worth of men. This would be interesting.

* * *

Bridget was back to being treated as she was meant to be treated. She giggled in amusement as she thought upon the late Princess Merida of Dunbrough. That filth was really royal blood? Bridget shook her head in disbelief. She had told her stories since she got home to the ladies of her court , and it seemed like they wished to hear them over and over again. Yes yes ,Bridget would assure them, all the stories they had heard of the Bear Kings Princess was true, but much worse! Yes, she spent her time with the burliest of men, no doubt rolling in the hay with them too! For she certainly smelled like it. And no she was not a warrior but a ditzy red head with made up fantasies about being a 'warrior queen'. But worst of all was her conduct! Bridget tolled them how Merida was so uncivilized that even in the way she walked around in provocative clothing people knew what type of woman she was. That had lead to the decision from her own King that they had to keep her in the horses stalls for fear she would embarrass someone! The smile parted her lips and she could not contain her good mood as Bridget was in the company of her hand maidens again. They had been busy getting her ready for the day ahead , though it was noon now. Bridget prescribed herself with extra sleep for she was still dealing with the 'tragic' events that had happened at Castle MacGuffin.

Not only had Merida threatened her life more then once , she had assured her father, but Lord MacGuffin had deflowered her on top of the fact she was made to live like a slave. The Lord Glengarry took up a frothing mad fit as his daughter cried so many tears she fainted and had to be bed ridden for a week with her maids tending to her hand and foot. Her two brothers had demanded blood. To Bridget's great satisfaction they had put forth a plan to burn what was left of Castle MacGuffin while the time was ripe, and the castle was weak.

The black cat smiled as her hair was brushed to an astonishing black lacquer shine and she dripped in finely made jewelry. For not only was her Lord about to enact her revenge but a letter had come in from the north. It had been given to her handmaid to deliver to Bridget in secret and was from a ship from the lands of Clan Macintosh.


	24. Chapter 24

Grants beard had grown even longer. Not only did he neglect to trim his hair but brushing and maintaining the harvest gold strands was an every couple of day occurrence. His braid was longer now and tonight he had adopted a matching one in his beard. His eyes had sunken in to dark pits in the dim light of the forest at night. The Sight of Crom had proven monsters did exist and to the men from the cliffs of MacGuffin the next scariest thing was the man that lead them this night.

After the many months the princess left MacGuffin had aged, now it looked as if the late "Golden Mountain" and his son could be brothers. Grant had aged under the pressure of his new lordship , but it forged him into something hard and bloodthirsty.

Their lord had been accused of deflowering the woman who he was betrothed to marry. But the men knew this was not true, what was well know by now was this woman's true nature . Clansmen and maids from the lords castle started coming forth with reputable stories and accounts of the "Black Cat".

One maid said she heard Bridget talking with her own handwomen and it was about things a proper lady would be ashamed of let alone let awful words like those pass her lips. The maid had blushed profusely when asked to continue about her accounts of what was said ,but she finally caved and let go what was overheard in a whisper in a trusted friends ear. What the maid overheard was Bridget talking about being deflowered , but not by her future husband.

This blatant lie from that Black Cats mouth was why the warriors , what few were left, where here in the woods tonight. The light from Castle Glengarry shown dimly over the forested hills. The warriors were so few that even if they had taken on 10 men each they would be no match for a castle like Glengarry tonight. The men stayed and would not be moved from their Lord, a man that was more then worthy of his tittle. They looked upon him in the starlight as the moon was dark. He was a bolder with his fathers wolf covering hanging over his shoulders , a garment made up of many wolf hides as he was so broad. Lord Grant MacGuffin sat as a stone with his Warhammer in his hands.

The Lord finally made a move , his eyes darted from the deep thoughts he locked himself in to over his shoulder, with one hand raised he silently told his men to vanish. Those in his clan were large in stature but soon the shadows enveloped them and Grant seemed alone. Alone with his meeting with the Black Cat who , though light in her footfalls, noticeably came closer .

"Have you come fur' my hand Ian…." A woman who carried herself as a willow would in a gentle breeze,and emerged from the trees. Her black black hair as beautiful as the wings of ravens glimmered in the dim light.

"Eye' h've cume fur yur heed." ( i have come for your head)


	25. Chapter 25

The woman's face turned from placid and calm to terror stricken, she would have yelled out in fear but two men three times her size h

Ad held her in place one with a hand over her open mouth.

Grant could ask them to squeeze the life out of her right then and she would be no more. But that would be for later . Grant MacGuffin stood up, the men that held Bridget flinched , for even to his own men he was fearsome. The black haired woman dressed in the finest and tightest dress she could find almost fainted. Grant made his way over to the bound wicked woman his eyes spotted a note in her hand and he snatched it up in his massive mitt of a fist.

He looked at it and smiled.

" Ye jus' coul'dneah resist hum, could ye?"

(you could not resist him , could you?)

Grant took the letter and squinted at it in the starlight, there was no doubt that it was the one he instructed Ian Macintosh to wright for him and deliver to Bridget with Ian's own personal messenger. The past months he had waited for this day and he was slightly surprised that his own plan had worked so well. This was the same plot Bridget had used to lure Ian into Merida's room, was she really so vain that she would fall for this trap? Grant solemnly looked up at the woman in the grips of muscular hands from the crumpled paper he now held.

The Golden Mountain shook his head at her , Bridget's eyes wildly looked back.

"E'ye culd jist let m' men ha'v Ye. "

(I could just let my men have you)

Grant whispered coming closer , but he held no malice in his eyes , he was sad it had to come to this. Bridget knew this could be the end and she shook in fear.

"Bu' E'Ye am' negh tha' kin O man…."

( but I am not that kind of man….)

Grant moved closer tossing the paper by the way side as he addressed one of the men holding the 'Black Cat'.

"Gag hr'"

( Gag Her)

The man did so letting the other clansman hold her , she put up little struggle , there was the muffling of a pleading voice before some old cloth was stuck painfully into her mouth as she whimpered. The men, any other time ,would have felt sorry for a small fair lass being handled the way she was But this was not a regular woman. No . This black haired temptress was an attempted rapist of another young lord, and by now many stories had surfaced of how her eyes where never on Lord Grant MacGuffin, but on the wealthier Ian Macintosh. They had taken her in as their new lady, but she never acted as one, as she had secret plans scratched out so she could climb to a more comfortable place.

No doubt given the chance she would have them all killed, and the men knew it.

Grant took her long flowing black hair in his hand. At one time he yearned to feel it but this time he just twisted it over and under his knuckles making it turn into a tight rope, then he twisted it over his hand once more gripping it hard, his men let her go and Grant lead her through the forest towards the Glengarry Castle.

It was well after midnight when the hoard of silent men reached the castle a woman with a torch was waiting by the kitchen entrance in an inlet on the outer wall. Grant recognized her as one of Bridget's hand maids, she was waiting for her lady to return from her evil nightly deeds. On approach the maid did not move but squinted into the darkness holding the torch up. It was too late when Grant was feet from her it was apparent that he held her lady by her hair with a glinting knife by her throat. The look in Grant's dark told her to not to scream as a trickle of blood streamed down Bridget's pail skin and colored her fine dress.

The made led in the trail of MacGuffin men into the castle , through the sleepy corridors and to the Lords hall where his great seat perched atop of a small flight of stone steps . Grant took his place there in the darkness , handing the knife over to one of his men, he motioned for his ex-bride-to be to sit beside him on the thrones. She was roughly put there and her maid was sent to wake the master of Glengarry. The MacGuffin Clansmen stood still behind their Lord, but they tingled in their fingertips , this was certainly an act that would be sung about from hundreds of years.

Soon the castle sprung to life torches lit and many warriors flooded into the great hall most undressed or in bed clothed but all armed. Including the three sons of Glengarry. Unfortunately their elderly Father was not present at the moment they entered the hall for in a madness of rage they ran forward, for if he was , his sons may have still lived.

Lord Glengarry entered his hall. His warriors parted, but they were all shaken to the core. They had given the men of MacGuffin a large birth and they stood in a half circle and most of the men of Glengarry pressed themselves to the outer walls pushing others forward in front of them in fear. All the wind had left the Sleepy Lord when he saw what scene was in front of him, all eyes were on this noble man still dressed in bed clothed.

For before of him was the bodies of his three slain sons , his daughter sat next to a blond giant of a man with dark eyes.

Lord Glengarry fell to his knees in a whimper, his hair was silver his skin a sickly pasty color. To the Glengarry men it was painfully noticeable how old and frail their Lord really was. He stretched out his weathered hands at his bound daughter , pleading, his men unsettled most had dropped their sword points to the ground. No one commanded these men and they were unsure of what to do , many still waking up from their sleep.

Grant waited for the pleading of the Lord to spare his daughter to quiet down. He never liked when people ignored or over talked him. To think it was only a handful of years ago he was an adolescence , and that was a common occurrence. Now however, Grant knew he had the ears of every man in the room. So after a long pause he spoke calmly to the fearful onlookers.

"ye' ken who e'yebe Lurd, tho we'h'v nev're met."

( you know who I am lord, though we have never met)

Grant looked up at the elderly man. Shamefully Lord Glengarry was at the mercy of one much younger then himself.

Lord Glengarry nodded 'Yes' getting up off the floor with the help of one of his own men. The pool of his sons blood grew and his daughter silently cried upon her mothers thrown seat. Bridget cried for her brothers but something much more painful was paining her ; Her midnight dealings were about to be exposed.

"A'ye am her' t' tell ye' about what Y'ur d'ghter has been a"cussin me o'f"

( im here to tell you about what your daughter has been accusing me of,)

"A less mrrrl man wood let this go t' war , bein sttled o'nth'e feeld n'all , but Ay' hav' honnor, left or' frum what ur' d'ghter left m' with. Tha kind brrd sh'e is."

(A less moral man would let this go to war, being settled on the field and all . But I have honor left over from what your daughter left me with . That kind bird she is)

Bridget's father turned to look in her direction, hurt and bewildered. Surely if her claims were well founded the new Lord of MacGuffin would not be in his chair talking about honor. The Lord grew as cold as the words spoken to him by Lord MacGuffin, for he spoke as a man grievously wronged.

" whe'n ma Da' asked you aboot hoow ur' dghter woould mind herr hand be'in my'own, she seed she would be grrretful."

(when my dad asked you about how your daughter would mind her hand being my own she said she would be grateful)

" but noot on'ly did she neight hav' any interest in me atull , she tried to bed Ian Macintosh in m' own house. "

(but not only did she not have any interest in me at all , she tried to bed Ian Macintosh in my own house )

The hall erupted in chaos, the men of Glengarry shouted in protest only the men from MacGuffin and the Lord Glengarry stayed silent. The Old Lord stayed quiet and quivered in anger and disbelief he had biased his whole reason to attack the men of MacGuffin on a supposed lie. Now his sons were dead and the only hire to everything the worked for sat in front of him rightfully gaged and bound. His daughter wept at the realisation everything was coming into light and at the price of her brothers lives.

"Ay' ne'd Ye' t' tie yurself in bounds Lurd…"

( I need you to tie yourself up lord )

A rope was flung at the Lord Glengarry and it landed at his feet. It was a promise in Grants eyes that Lord Glengarry's daughters life was hanging in a balance, her neck slowed in its bleeding but the red stain of her blood was a dramatic display of the truth of it.

The Lord nodded to the shock of his own men. There was no telling if the castle was surrounded by more clansmen then the ones standing in the castle tonight , and his daughter would be dead long before and of his men would wage war on the monster men from Clan MacGuffin. No this was the most logical thing to do.

The Lord of Glengarry had one request, for his daughter to be ungagged.

The elderly man looked at his daughter stone-faced.

"is it true? Is an'y o' it false my fair daughter?"

But though every other day of her life Bridget was full of words and lies , today was different. Today the truth made her toungtied and she sobbed. That was enough of a reply for her father, that was the last time he had words with her.

Grant nodded and they made their way to his clans boats ,but they were not going to sail north back to his home. No they were headed south.


	26. Chapter 26

Hubert looked wildly down the many paths of the woods before urging his horse in to a flying gallop down a winding trail. There by the creek at the end of the path of mossy stones and damp spring thaw was a woman in an emerald cape with long flowing red hair.

"Merida-"

Hubert jumped off the horse barely waiting for it to stop fully at the creek side. She was unmoved, there was no doubt she heard him coming for a while now. She was more of a warrior then most men , and she bonded with the forest in unhuman ways it seemed. She knew these woods better then any guide for she spent most of her time outside, her sun bleached red hair was a tell tale sign of that.

"yu'r motherin me Hubert."

"Crivins Merida you only got oooff bed rest!"

Hubert was forever changed by the battle of Crom at Macintosh. He had become overprotective of his sister, more so then his two brothers , the blame he put on himself must have weighed heavier then a mountain of stone. Usually Merida would protest this behavior but she softened to her brother Hubert , he was a special exception. Hubert was the youngest of the three brothers and had lost some of his hearing to Croms great cry. The battle had left him slightly hard of hearing, but that was the price of choosing his sisters life over his own pain, she would not forget that.

"You ken tha' Ian Macintosh has been writtin you-"

"Aye…"

Merida continued on her whittled work of knotwork on her dagger handle. Harris sighed impatiently as if that was not a good enough answer.

"Well?! What is eet aboot, he heelped save you'r life you Ken."

The thought made her sick. But he was right most of the Kingdome saw Ian as a great warrior and the two should be a pair . It was best financially , she suspected her mother would find comfort in her daughter living in luxury. But in some miracle it seemed her brothers were on her side when it came to marriage and Ian Macintosh. She could sense they distrusted him somehow, whatever the reason that was about as much as she ever thought about Ian. Merida paused and looked at her brother , then with hardly any emotion she recited a bit of poetry.

" 'Your eye's they glint lik' m' best blade

Yur hair is color o my apples red

Tho' ye seldom reply ,im not afraid

withoot me you's be dead"

"whoot dark nightmare is tha'?"

"The best of Ians Romantic poetry, I hav' been stooken m' fire with the most of it all this past winter. the baw head is tryin t' be romantic I tink…"

"it sounds mooor like a threat then passion."

Hubert was calculating in his head visibly. He was not the smartest of the three brothers by comparison but he was decently smart in his own way. Hubert was trying to figure out what this all meant. And he took a sit on a wet mossy rock, his horse had kept her distance but was grazing pleasantly. Hubert was still donning his winter kilt so the threat of feeling the damp through the thick wool was slim.

"an'd…"

Hubert finally said looking up at his older sister.

Merida paused her work insulted.

"You think that your sister would be a Lady Macintosh you are verrry wrong. If it makes you feel any better I hav' seen my eyes full of everything Ian has to offer an I want know part of it. "

Hubert raised his eyebrows.

"is there any a man who you would want any part of?"

Merida stared at him, he was not joking around he was quiet waiting for a response. Merida's mind flashed to a sleeping golden haired giant aglow in the warm light of a fire. Then it was gone but There had been a moment of silence where Huberts eldest sister just stared back , and that was all he needed.

"Ach… so your jus' goin to string Ian along eh?"

A dagger drove in the dirt to the hilt at Hubert's feet, he did not flinch but stared back into his sisters emerald and blue eyes. Merida would never do such a thing. This was as close as you got talking to Merida about her feelings. He was not backing down, but that was a warning.

" Is it the horse stable lad again?"

She scoffed at him , no that was not it. That had been too long ago, she was just a teenager then, and had not yet changed from war.

" You ken the lord McGuffin has not taken a bride."

" How dose that concern me? We have a potential war at our gates with HIS ex-bride -to-be's moron Da'd blaimin McGuffin on Bridget's inability to close her legs. On top of thah' Bridget is mad that she could'negh land Ian Macintosh for herself. Now she has made all of this mess an'd is puttin the blame on everyone bu' herself. I should have killed her when I had the chance."

Merida could have had flames coming out of her eyes.

"you could fix it if ye' married Ian. As a wedding gift he would raid Glengarry lands an all her fancy dresses would be yours t' keep."

Merida was disgusted and wrinkled her nose her mouth pinched at one side but her brother continued.

"Bridget would'negh have a man to throw herself at, an McGuffin would'negh be stirin upp all kinds o' trouble tryin to impress you. That's why we have this unsettlement-"

"I ken."

"Ah…"

Hubert nodded and shrugged but he watched his sister turn her head back to a stream singing a gurgled happy song, she was deep in thought.

How did she get herself in another mess again?

What Hubert had said was the truth and it was sinking in to her, war was starting to ware on her. Merida would never back down. She would always defend her men or her lands , but if war was avoidable then it was worth a thought. That being said , even now she would most likely never pick a mate, there was something inside she was missing. Merida thought about all the other women she knew . The lot of them had dreams of the man they were meant to be with, what he looked like and what he would do for the lass. But not the Princess. She had dreams of fighting and glory , of battles won and great deeds done. But now what? Her body had amassed fair scars , ones that did not disfigure her but they were the tell tale sign of a warrior. They chicken pocked her body here and there. Not many other woman had such markings , and Merida thought hard on that. Not many men knew what to do with a woman like herself.

Merida knew what woman and men did together, she had had her experience long ago but that was just a spark and it was long ago extinguished. She thought about Bridget's long pale legs on her bed at Castle McGuffin and she felt uneasy. The woman knew how to use her looks to manipulate men, the same way Merida used her bow to change a battle. But Merida could never sit there like a cake on a kitchen table waiting to be eaten up. That was not what she wanted. She wanted … her eyes moved across the stream of moving spring thaw. She wanted to be free , and that is what she had now. If she married Ian there was no telling what he would expect her to do or how he would act if she did not comply to his dream of a perfect Princess Bride. Besides there was an uncertainty about Ian's connection with Crom Cruach.

She remembered Grant McGuffin and how he had pushed her into a castle room not long after they met for the second time. He too did not think she could handle a battle. But she escaped and proved him wrong, but that is not what she remembered as her shinning moment. It was his apology after, and their banter back and forth. She never got to tell him goodbye as she was unconscious after the fight had ended, and by the time she awoke she was half way home. That had bothered her, she had a yearning to see him one day again. Just to tell him she was ok, though she penned many a letter none had been sent and she gave up on contacting him though that method not long after.

Merida would listen unmoved at court meetings when they had the chance to catch her between her hunting and horseback riding. But sometimes news from the northwest would trickle in and she would listen intently , only her eyes deceiving her at her great interest of the dealings of clan McGuffin. From the last she heard his wealth was amassing at such a rate that he would be wealthier then Ian Macintosh himself in a few months. The clan had not slowed down after the War at Castle Macintosh, they had only amped up their own small scale takeover on lands not faithful to her Dad, the Bear King. He had gained much honor , warriors, and treasures as the new Lord Grant McGuffin increased his lands westward. There was theory's as to why this may be. One was he was trying to get Bridget back, but Merida knew that was not the case. There was a deeper meaning to all of this but she just could not grasp it. Merida thought back on the time McGuffin rescued her from the men who worshiped Crom. Grant told her 'He would fight by her side even against great evil'. She believed that , and apart of her not choosing a mate was those words. But there had been too many arguments and distrust in-between them. Grant had accused Merida of luring Ian Macintosh , even though it was his own bride to be that was the culprit . Something he did not apologize enough for she reminded herself. That great unrest between them was the exact reason she never contacted him since. Merida believed if he had meant the words he had said to her , he would make the first move, and reach out to her . That did not happen , and she had settled back into her life back at Castle Dunbroch.

Would any man lover her enough to see her true worth? To let her fight by his side and take heed to her advice on the battle ground? Marriage was seen as a crewel end to her freedoms, and she would not be trapped that way.

Merida's mother listened better now but was up to her old tactics of trying to entice her daughter to marry. Now the new prospects came from across the sea at times. But it was never a formal date, men from wealthier places with funny accents would arrive for a stay , and for dinners where she had to attend. But the same song had played on tirelessly , Merida would not take a suitor.

Merida stood up and walked to her horse a noise not too far off told her a lone rider was approaching. She mounted Angus as her brother watched her unaware to the approach of their new visitor. Only when Merida sat unmoved watching the forest path saturated with melting snow did Hubert stand and look where her eyes were resting.

Their brother Hamish trotted down the path at a serious pace with a stern look.

"Merida ,Hubert, We have company…"


	27. Chapter 27

There was Great unrest in the great halls of Dunboch as Merida walked at a hurried pace past the crowds. There her mother and father sat in their personal seats on massive wooden chairs. Harris stood hands behind his back uneasy on his feet, no expression beside Merida's mother Elinore. Her long raven braid had turned more and more silver over the years. The queens eyes glittered with deep wisdom rarely seen in the women of the courts.

Merida crossed the stone floor her brothers in tow. Something of importance had happened she could tell by the wild look in the Bear Kings eyes as she sat. King Fergus let the veins on his hand grow as he gripped his thrown chair. He was slightly on edge, but his Queen seemed to calm him by her own poise and marble like posture. It was not clear what this gathering was about until Merida unfastened her spring cloak and let it be caught by a man behind her chair that and turned to face their guests.

Merida commanded her peoples attention whenever she walked , for she walked as a Commander of an army, but the lead in her legs fell out when she turned around. It was fortunate that she was already sitting for as her brothers assigned themselves to their own seats her eyes fell upon the Lord they now called the Golden mountain. All breath left her , it felt as if she received a blow to her chest ;time stood still. Her face paled slightly , Harris allowed his eyes to wonder to his sister sensing her small change in behavior. it was so faint only Harris and one other person picked it up.

Grant McGuffin watched the would be queen. She had changed but slightly like the transition on a newly budded tree in spring from the pale branches that once had bee. Her hair was longer and more tame; as in her hair was heavier and it fell to almost her knees. Merida had still refused to bind it in a braid as her mother had , so she sat on her chair looking as if she was haloed in flame. Her blue emerald eyes glistened like the lake below his castle in the moonlight- moonlight- that brought him back to thinking about the time they had met many many months ago. In a little over three years he had changed from the drunk man wailing at his fathers grave. Such a short time had passed and now he had commanded vast lands and competed in wealth with Castle Macintosh. Grant was closer to the man that Bridget had always wanted . But what did Merida want? He had thought about that more then he would like to admit. His fondest memory was waking to see Merida ankle deep in the black water under the stars in a night gown. Grant kept his promise , he never told a soul about what had happened that night, but remembering it made the blood stir under his kilt. He woke up many a night seeing her just opposite of his fire standing on the shore rock like a selkie.

Oh if only she had been a selkie , for there was nothing his heart desired more then to keep her for his own. Merida was pale and glowing in the courts of Dunbroch and Grant felt the urge to touch her again as he had done once before in his castle.

His Fathers brother coughed and Grant was aware the court was waiting on him to speak. Grant stood with his best warriors and in front of him, bound on their knees, was his ex-bride to be and her father. He had delivered many a speech in front of vast crowds of men but the eyes that looked at him today made ice run though his body where his blood should have flowed. Merida's emerald and blue eyes took his breath away each time he looked deep upon them , but he pried his thoughts away from the woman with fire for hair, he licked his lips willing the words to start. Grant focused on The Bear King.

"M' Kin'g Aye brrrought Y'uh this filth and her fatherrrr. They hav' been plottin take m'lands an burn o'r clan t' the grrund. Lands loyal t' yu'. T'e plot againssst your lords is one againnst it's Master. Tho' I n'egh wished t' send yu' therrr heads withoot them explainin' why they er herr in tys right noow"

( my king I brought you this filth and her father. They have been plotting to take my lands and burn our clan to the ground. Lands loyal to you. a plot against your lords is one against Their master. Though I do not wished to send you their heads without them explaining why they are here in ties right now)

A warrior pushed the woman with a tattered dress in the back with the staff of his pike. It was almost unrecognizable who the woman was as she was vailed in long unrulily black hair , her dress once very fine now almost rags. It was Bridget , her face was warn and dirty, her father looked on without feeling as if it did not matter what happened next. Her eyes bloodshot and bags hung low below her long black eye lashes. She had slept little and cried quite a bit the whole trip here. She was a fully developed woman, everything a man could ever dream of in terms of physical attributes. But she was rotten somewhere deep inside her beauty was the dagger she wielded. She could never be trusted.

"I…I…I…" She stammered , but the warrior behind her rolled his eyes and hit her again with his pike butt. "I had no option… he forced me t' marry him"

Merida moved her gaze to the woman on the cold floor in front of her. Just like the spring thaw had made the castle feel damp and chilled ; Merida too was cold, and so was the rest of the royal family. The Dunboch royals did not stir to this maidens words save Hamish. Hamish gave a villainous smile , the one thing he loved the most was justice ,the darker and swifter the better. Hamish knew what was about to come next, for the clan was known to make examples of those who conspire against them and their lords. But it was also a personal quarry he always had with Bridget since their first encounter at the MacGuffin castle. Every woman he had met was kind and without hidden agendas as was the norm in his family , But this woman was an exception. Hamish had sensed, from the very beginning, she was the most vile of them all.

She was stammering but her father just sat their weak and ailing ; he was ready to face his fate. He had been disgraced, his hirers dead all by the doings of his daughter.

"IT was all a mistake…UGH!" Another hard hit from the butt from the staff.

The excuses suddenly stopped, the people around her showed no emotion to any of her tears , her pleas. The game was over, it was time to come clean, she hardly told the truth but maybe this once it would save her.

" m' father and I willed to burn the McGuffin lands down-"

Finally someone acknowledged what she was saying… but is was a rough voice from behind her, it made her shake.

"An' why is tha?" The Lord holding her captive shot at her.

Tears dripped on the dry cloth of her top from her red cheeks.

"Cus' I wished for another to be my own, M'M'M' King spare me, spare me…" Bridget said in a weak voice she had long fallen away from her once beautiful proud mantel. Merida noted that Bridget did not include her own father in her plea. She did not ask for her father to be saved, others had noticed too. Merida's mothers lips tightened, it too had not gone unnoticed by the Wise queen. Till the end Bridget was disgustingly selfish. Meridas father stood now, it was silent in the great hall save Bridget's whimpers , the king turned to Elenore his beloved wife. The queen was still but the ice in the room could be felt coming from her eyes. She turned to her husband and nodded . There was seldom the couple did not do without consulting one another. The King had made up his mind. Grant took that as his que. With the singing of the sword though the air, a fair woman's head went rolling towards the unmoveable royal family. The other came swiftly without much noise. Where two captives had knelt lay a large pool of red blood and two bodies were dragged away from it. A large swath of crimson trailed from where they lord and his daughter had breathed their last breath.

"You can' kep their lands. If the other lords so chose to rebel against this decision , you can take them to battle as well and that too will be yours." Elinore had an icy liquid chill to her voice. With that Grant MacGuffin now commanded more land then the Macintosh, but he only bowed to his queen. His men followed suit. But as he rose his eyes fell upon Merida once more.


	28. Chapter 28

Merida had gained control of herself after the bodies of the once prominent family Glengary left the hall. The last of their family name had been extinguished in front of the court. She had felt overwhelming nervousness that bubbled below the pale skin of her chest .She sat , upon her chair seemingly the matching to her mother , who shared her steely look forward. The only difference was something family could detect from their future Queen. Harris took it for what it was it seemed his sisters true feelings where not even known to her own self. Lord Grant McGuffin had turned to his men after being dismissed by the king and eventually walk his way out of the room without another glance at the royals. He was most likely headed to his room. Harris watched intently on the young lords movements ; how exciting it was to himself that this Lord played his fate so well. Grant McGuffin was as timid as a sheep before. Hiding behind his bolder sized father sputtering out his words quickly once in a while. Words with such a tick accsent they were hardly understandable. Since then his speech had changed , mind you the thick accent was still present but it was much slower and louder when spoken. He had confidence , not as Ian Macintosh did. That was to say he was not bosterus proud , macguffins confidence was one as any accomplished lord would command. Harris drew his hands behind his back and after a few more minutes he turned to his dad the king , locked eyes , bowed low and excused himself to his own room. In his mind there was still a fortune to be won and it had glinted at him in the shadows of the back of his mind for many months. There was no more fun to be had playing small bets in the short game. Harris and his brothers never stopped playing games , but this time it was the longer games that had ritcher rewards.. There would be no more excitement tonight he thought , his brothers mimicked his polite bow and the three exited the chatty great hall.

His sister stayed back ,deep in thought and the unmovable queen next to her broke Merida's concentration.

" I will see you in your room ." Merida had other plans but this would be priority and she nodded dreamily as she rose next to her mother. Merida grabbed her cloak from the attendant soldier that stood behind her and put it on in a noisy swoosh. It was damp in the castle and though she had multiple layers on under her dress she felt chilled. Her bow had been placed at the back of her chair and although her destination was her own room she grabbed it . It made her feel calm . She bowed to her father and glided down the steps her waterproof boots briefly tasted the blood puddle on the floor as she crossed the hall, a sight to which her mother the queen wrinkled her nose slightly at. There was no changing Merida, at 27 she was all that she would ever be. The queen remembered ; there was seldom their warriors trusted more then the actions and words of their princess especially in battle. Her daughter had won many a battle and even the myth filled war just a few years ago. She was renowned as a monster killer, an assassin of old gods and black magic. The queen looked over softly at her Husband Fergus.

" I will be but a moment .."

" Goin' to have a chat with our wee lass ?"

"Aye , m'king" She smiled the queen knew it teased him to use formalities, he smiled and put out a large bear paw sized hand to brush his aging love upon her cheek. His hand once covered in bright red hair at the knuckles now tinged with white matching Elinor's own hair.

"So, Glengarry is dead, th' whole lot of them." Fergus put his hand back upon his wife's own soft hand. He looked out to the court; the MacGuffin's were setting up tables and chairs. He reminisced about the clan that the MacGuffins snuffed out. They had been very successful but it seemed they reached too high, and crossed the wrong people. Fergus and his son Hamish shared a unsettling love for rough justice and the King was in good spirits this night.

"Have you heard what they have been saying about Macintosh?"

"Husband-" Elinor looked playfuly down at her husband as he sat in his chair still holding her land. He loved gossip.

"They say he has been writtin poetry an drinkin ,fightin and indulging in women all for the loss of our red haired lass."

"Loss ?" the queen scoffed. " He Nev'r had her ."

"A'ye, tha' is true." The bear king had a twinkle in his eyes and pulled his queen closer to him kissing her pale cheek. "-bu' I ken another suiter who has ne'gh takein a bride or a woman since, all for the love of your daughter." He said this is in a teasing fashion , as a small child would tease another with a secret.

"I can tell f'r myslef my love." She was well aware of Grant MacGuffins feelings for her daughter. The Queen had made her assumptions as to why the Lord of the MacGuffin clan had come all this way to rectify his honor. For he could have done that in his own lands and sent them a raven. He had not done this, because he wanted to show the Royal court something. It was clear his act was not directed at the king and queen. The woman Lord MacGuffin had beheaded just now had not just tried to tarnish the Lord's name, she had tried to soil the name of her daughter, the princess. Grant MacGuffin did not come today to expect reward , he came today in front of the courts as an act of tribute to Merida. Today Grant had showed that he would go to any lengths , even beheading his former Bride to be, to prove his loyalty to their daughter.

" I can tell yu' ar thinking she should have ended this long ago."

"Aye" Fergus took a cup of ale from a passer by not breaking eye contact with his queen. He drank it through smiling lips.

"Im goin up to see our daughter."

"Y'u should bring the big' man with y'u' " The bear king laughed , the crowds around them had settled into a dinner mood and the noise of talking and drinking had made the king and queen's discussion more private, as their words were inaudible compared to the racket around them. The king went to pinch his wife's bum, she swatted at him away playfully. After all this time he only had eyes for her, a feeling that Elinor would want her own daughter to feel from someone one day.

"A'ye will see you after my sow bear." The Queen rolled her eyes , it was not her favorite nickname , her hand slipped from the kings and she made her way across the room. As she passed a parting in the crowd appeared infront of her to allow her to glide of the room. All the while her husband looked lovingly as his wife depart from the Dunboch halls.

Merida was in her room, it had changed quite a bit since her childhood. There was many bows from birthdays and from gifts from far away, placed on a wrack beside the fireplace. Merida sat in the chair in front of the fire ,she was fiddling with the bow she had in her hands, waxing its strings. She never lit any other torches and the only light in the room was from the hearth. Her mother came in and with her she began to light the torches around the room. Merida could sense her mothers disproval of the state of her room as it was more like her brothers room then any of the ladies of the castle. The maids had done their best with it to keep it feminine but she had her own version. A heavy bouquet of spring flowers was the only thing her and her mother agreed on , as it was lady like to have flowers in ones room. To Merida it was her little piece of the forest brought inside , it made her want to explore the woods even more.

There was a rocking chair beside the padded one Merida curled up in, legs crossed. Her mother took the seat beside her.

"This is about Grant…"

Elinor was surprised at her daughters intellect, Merida was always surprizing her in one way or another.

"Aye' " Elinor started to rock in her chair slowly and took her braid in her hands calmly eyeing suspected split ends she would deal with later.

"Whut do yu' want me to say?"

"What do you want me to hear?"

Merida's mother was always diplomatic and she had to be careful or it could get on her nerves, her red hair always got the better of her. Merida was quiet, Elinor would have to initiate the conversation.

"Are you goin' to let him leave without taking up his invitation?"

"Whot invitation."

"So you are interested then?"

"About Grant?"

"I did n'egh say it out right , you did , wee lamb."

Merida looked at her mother as she looked onward into the fire, rocking gently.

"-is this aboot merrage." This broke the Queens stare. She looked over at her daughter concerned.

"Merida , no.." That had deeply hurt her mother. Her mother made a true effort to never bring up marriage again this was about something else. This melted Merida's steely attitude towards the black haired woman sitting beside her. Merida calmed down looking at the fixed tapestry in the wall , she let out a sigh.

"He kiss'd me once."

"Who did?" This took the queens breath away, Merida was very conservative when it came to her emotions.

"Lord MacGuffin." she had not yet disclosed this to anyone , not even her brothers. " I let him." Merida added assuring her mother this was not reason to alert the warriors and make an issue about this. They stayed quiet for a while. "I dn't ken how I feel."

"Why is that?" The queen looked concerned still.

"because he' accused me - it's a complicated matter."

"Oh. Aye then." The queen stood about to leave, usually if her daughter did not want to talk there was no moving her.

"Mum." Elinor looked down at the red haired lass there was pleading in her eyes. "Stay." she took her mothers hand letting her bow rest on her crossed legs.

"The woman who died tonight , she tried using a letter in my hand to entice Ian Macintosh t' sleep with her. But Grant was not completely convinced I did not hav' a hand in on that. He believed the letter may hav' been in m' hand… that I wanted Ian t- sleep with me. He did not believe me right away when I told him I was innocent .

"-it was his betrothed, wright or wrong his duty is - was- to that woman. " Elinore interjected. The marriage was arranged by Grants father , someone he trusted and looked up to above all others. A decision against his wife to be was one against his own father even his loyalty to Merida's parents. He acted appropriately even though he questioned the princess, but this obviously hurt her daughter. Merida retracted her hand from her mothers.

" I was innocent-" Merida looked down at her bow and Elinore sat back down uncomfortably.

"A'ye m'wee lamb."

"He had kissed me before tha't touched m' hair… after that something happened t' how I felt for him… I could n'gh talk to him as before. Even af'r he apologised, I still could ne'gh do it."

" Men seldom apologise -" Elinore laughed.

"I Ken-" Merida's voice soured. "still I could ne'gh do it."

"Has he don' anything else to assure you, thah he would not do that again? "

Merida blushed "A'ye, he told me' when we had seen Crom Cruach fur the first time - he said he would fi't any monster he would do an'thin to fi't for me. and now tonight, just now. the woman who had tried to put me in a poor light. I ken he did this as a tribute to me. I feel selfish fur- saying it - maybe it's not the truth. I dont Ken but then i feel like i do..."

"all of these feelins…is this why you acted the way you did in the court today. You seemed -" Elinore brushed a hair away from her child's forehead lovingly. "you seemed lost m' wee lamb."

Merida nodded.

"I hope you u talk to him once be'fur he leaves love. esspecialy because he did not come today to see me and your father."That made Merida look up at her mother. Elinor stepped away from her daughter and started out the room. "I think this may settle you."

"Aye -" Merida agreed dreamily , deep in thought."

Elinor excused herself from Merida's room with a kiss on her daughters head. Elinor tried to conceal her glee as she exited the room. But as she closed the door behind her she herd a scuffling sound down the hallway and was able to catch a glimpse of three red haired young men hiding themselves behind the next turn of the corridor. The queen pursed her lips tightly - it was her sons . She stormed towards them, there they were waiting for her just behind corner.

"Boys!" She hissed at the three young men. Harris smiled sweetly at his mother , a look she often caved to.

"Mum- its good news I'nt it?" They were just as bad as their father when it came to gossip.


	29. Chapter 29

Merida had taken her dinner in her room but was unable to finish it. She had changed her cloths and decided she needed to calm her nerves. A night ride is what she needed so she slipped out into the dark of midnight to the stables. Many of the horses were sleeping standing in their stalls but Angus could smell his Master from a distance. He was ready for a night ride , the winter was leaving the land and he would be free from the snow to run as he pleased. Merida tacked up the horse and in minutes they had disappeared into the shadows of the forest.

it had been nice enough of a night her horse was hot so she ran him, and ran him. They must have been out for more then half of an hour when she finally had slowed Angus to a walk. They had made it to the mirror like lake at the southern side of her families lands.

That's when she heard it. Did she ? It had been months was it a trick of the forest? Merida looked around her ,wheeling Angus around as she was at a fork in the road. She looked down the paths straining her ears and her eyes.

It has been years since she last saw one - but there it was again and again - yet no blue flame appeared. Merida could have sworn she heard the soft melody of a wisp. Her horse heard it too and he shook his great main as she pat his neck reassuringly. All she had was her dagger and her hand itched to hold it . But here in her forest there was no danger. Was there? She was as quiet as she could be. Merida could even hear the breath of the animal she sat atop of. Then it's song sounded again , her back was to a pool of water but with a slight movement of her legs Angus whipped around to face the noise - and there it was - a wisp. It's blue flame lit up the man that stood behind it.

" I h'v had many o' dreeem aboot that night."

( I have had many a dream about that night )

The man said softly. Merida knew the voice and she was not startled.

" When ye' pulled me frum the water - aftr I wooke up you stood in a lake much like that pool there .."

( when you pulled me from the water- after i woke up you stood in a lake much like that pool over there)

The wisp disappeared

" aye followed the wisps." (I followed the wisps) Grant had a longer blonder beard then before. He looked so much older now. Much more of a fully fledged Lord then when he had last met her. But though his size and his appearance was surprising Merida was not in anyway startled. Merida had spent enough time with him to know he would not hurt her, even after the bloody show hours ago in the court.

Merida found her voice " They lead he to your fate." She was talking about the wisps. Whatever they brought him for he was meant to be here.

" -And whoot may that bee ?"

(and whoot may that be?)

Grant MacGuffin stared onward the blue flame of the wisp gone and the light of the stars illuminated his face . He looked stern but something around his eyes was soft as if he sought her approval.

" I do not ken Lord MacGuffin." Merida said softly. Last time they had been together it was times of war, months that flickered through her memory as she sat before MacGuffin in the forest.

" Weeks ago Aye' strode int' th' halls O' Glengarry , slaughtered his sons , took the Lord and his daughter captive. Aye' did this for Bridget said many things against my princess. "

Meridas belly turned to the words 'my princess'. Her horse felt the tightening in her legs and Angus shuffled his feet. Grant was not boasting , he was solemn.

" Merida - I - I wish t' stroll whit ye." He was asking for her to take his hand and walk beside him. He calmly came forward and reached out his hand so she may dismount. Merida swallowed and did not let him have her hand.

"What you did to Bridget ... you would do the same to me one day?" Merida met his serious eyes with her own. Grant was hurt but held out his hands a pleading in his eyes.

" Why did ye neigh pick cabber toss ?" That was not the answer to her question.

" Whoot? Answer me lord ,please." His question made no immediate sense to her and she dismissed it. Grant nodded and bent to her request.

" I would nevr hurt yu. what i hav' done was for -family, the clans. Glengarry was to march upon me and my Kin- your kin. " Grant continued. "All those years ago - you couldv' asked y'r suttors t' cabber toss - aye woodh'v won - why- did ye' negh pick the one game A'ye culd h've won."

Merida took his hand " because I wanted to play for m' own hand. I wished to be no one else's but my own." Coming out of her mouth it sounded painfully selfish. She had hurt all three men at once that day, not to mention the countless others from each of their clans.

"And now ? How d' yep feel now ? Would you still pick archery?" Grant was calm, but he was still hurt. there was no threat in his actions or his voice, he was here to talk to her no matter her answer. She sighed, maybe company was what she needed this night, he did not make her feel threatened. Merida felt calm enough to bend to his request so Merida put out her hand and with the help of Grant slid off her horse. She handed him the reins and started to walk the dark path ahead of them. Grant followed ,Angus gave an uncomfortable snort of disapproval being lead by a man he only seen once or twice.

"No -I would neigh pick archery if Aye had to pick today." She walked on as her heart beat in her throat. Grants hands shook as he gripped the leather in his hands. He had talked many hours with his mother and brother about the princess, about the possibility of this exact conversation ever happening. But practicing what one would say VS. actually saying it were two different things.

There was an unsettling pause and Grant quickly spoke to alleviate it - " When ye took off my kilt did ye look? "

Merida stumbled and Grant made a grab for her elbow concerned she rolled her foot on a wet stone. Merida was hipper aware of his big hand touching her and it lifted the hairs all over her body.

" no- well I looked away. " She assured him in a shaky voice,it was a very bold question to ask.

" Me and Bridget she was m first but we only ever lay t'geter at night , an well . It must have been the way I looked ye ken. " That broke Meridas heart. He was not trying to be lude and that came across, he felt insecure and she was the only other woman outside his family that had seen him after puberty. Grant let go of Merida as she found her footing and he continued to walk on fiddling with the reigns.

" -well then -" Merida took out her dagger and flint " if we are gin t talk we may as well be warm.

" A'ye did n'egh wish to see her again ... tho A'ye herd O' a plot against m' Kin. It wos t' hurdest thin I evrr had t' du- next to-"

" -fighting crom ?" Merida lit a fire and took the tack off her horse laying the blanket on the floor of the woods . She sat upon it feeling slightly drowsy, Grant sat opposite of her the fire between them. He wished to have a serious conversation, only her words if she would grant them to him, was all he needed.

" talkin t you -" Grant said looking into the fire picking at the log he was sitting on.

Merida took that in , and after a small pause she spoke. " There is nothing wrong with your body m'lord tho covered in hair and scars it's no different then any other man . "

Grant flushed " Och... no different at all ?" He shrugged a bit disappointing. He did not wish to be handsome , but above average would have been nice.

That was not true Grant was stronger and paler then the most wanted men in her kingdoms. Merida noticed the elongated looks from the women of her court.

" You don't have tattoos like Ian Macintosh "

Grants heart beat as a drum and he flushed in color .

" Yu have seen him then ? All o' him... " Grant thought about the man his bride to be wanted more then she could ever want her soon to be husband.

" Yes , when I walked in on Bridget and Ian in m' room ..." Grant thought about how Bridget would have killed over the opportunity to lay with Ian , any woman would , was Merida the same ? the night he accused Merida of trying to bed Ian was one that made him feel like the worst man alive. He was ashamed of that day.

" An I bet it made yu swoon ? " Grant was red in the face he was deeply hurt , his bride to be chose Ian over Grant why wouldn't Merida ?

" No" That started to quell Grants fire but he stood up pretending to look for firewood, trying to cool his feelings. Merida took off her cloak as the fire in front of her began to warm her.

" I did neigh find him any different then yu'."

Grant scoffed picking up sticks in his arms as Angus now tied to a tree nibbled the dewy night grasses behind him.

" Is that why she did this ..."

" Bridget did whoot she did because she wanted money,power."

" All of which Aye' possess now negh?" Grant eventually came to posses all the his ex bride to be had ever wanted. She had not played her cards well at all.

" Aye' that is the irony in this. "

He did possess the wealth and power akin to the Macintosh' to the north.

" so it's this then.." Grant flung the collected sticks beside the fire. His arms outstretched for a moment as if to present himself, he shook his head and stoked his beard in frustration. he was talking about his body. Grant put his hands at the belt of his kilt he dared not look at the princess , so he was watching the fire instead. Merida felt the confusion and the sadness in Grant , she was brought back to the night she found him by the gravestones . Grant was a lord now and one without the guidance of his father. He had lost his bride to be and now was questioning his worth because she had been a wright hore.

Merida got up and walked to Grant his eyes stayed on the fire until she reached out to him and undid the leather tie on his shirt . Grant looked at her with great concern .

" Whoot ar ye doon ? " He stood up a bit startled but Merida did not move away.

Merida looked up at Grant , and pulled her hands back to her sides again. She could see the veins in his neck pumping quickly, he was very nervous compared to her.

" If ye wanted to ken what I think then I have to see fur myself ... you have changed... " She was wight he was bigger now , more muscle and hair. Grant nodded , he took off his cloak ,his shirt and sash.

Merida looked at the man they called the 'golden mountain'. He was in every bit true to his name , but his shy eyes were down cast and he held a hand over his chest In an insecure way as if it could protect him from Meridas eyes. Her blue emerald eyes moved up and down he man and he could feel their gaze . She stopped at his belt and he blushed. His sporran covered his excitement , as he was not able to control his nervous feeling mixed in with the conversation they were having.

" ther is nothin wrong with yr body Grant, from what A'ye c'n see." Merida finally said , he nodded and reached for his cloths but stopped when he heard a wooshing noise in front of him. He looked up Merida was undoing the front of her dress . Her cloak had noisily hit the forest floor .

" My princess ..." It looked as if Grant was going to faint - Merida stopped, letting the fabric of her night gown expose itself through the loose lashings of the front of her dress .

" Yu ar half dressed and you wanted me to- see all of you."Grant nodded he still had his kilt on."Well, i do'ne'gh wish to make you feel unequal or uncomfortable. so maybe you can help me w' a few things i would like Ye' to answer" Grant left his cloak on the ground and stood back up looking down at his Princess and nodded a bit dumbfounded. Merida continued casting her eyes away working on the front of her dress again." Ian has want of me ."

" aye " Grant said nodding ,his eyes on the princess' face.

" Is it the same as you want me ?"

"Merida-"

She continued a pile of fabric lay at her bare feet until she was in just her night gown the thin fabric caught the light of the fire beside her and it made her look like she was bathed in gold . A fully formed woman's body was just underneath it .

"Merida no- " Grant could have cried , it was one thing to be 'just like the other men, but his feeling , he was certian were one of a kind. He turned away grabbing his shirt and pretending to study it . " I do not want you as he dose , he can nvr want you as much as I do . I want you more then I wish to protect m people more then I want t' mak' m father proud . I don't whant whoots under those cloths Merida - I don't want ur land - I just want tu be by yr side."

" Can ye' stand t' be close t me?" He would not look at her.

"Aye" Grant pleaded.

" To fi'gt by my side ?" Merida stared at the half exposed man calmly, judging him.

"Aye would fi'ght every monster in all of the dar'kness' of Scotland fu'r Ye" Grant looked up at her , he was deadly serious.

"Grant ..." His eyes focused on the long red haired woman -Grant felt faint - she was nude. Grant wanted more then anything to touch her but he was forbidden to do so without was against his morals to act of his feelings, he would never jeopardize her trust in him. Grant did not move. Merida came towards Grant she only made it up to his chest in terms of height, she took his belt in her hands and undid the clasp. but he stopped her. Grant undid the clasp and the sporran His kilt fell to the ground and he flushed as he was fully hard. He looked like an average man in every aspect save he was a giant in size and his body parts followed suit. Merida stepped back and looked him over.

" An' she would ne'igh see you in any light ?"

Grant was speechless and shaking but he was still as strong as a mountain - firm ,unmoving. He had goosebumps all over his body and his fists were tight balls . He had felt a women before but this was over stimulation , every part of him wished to take Merida yet he stood in a battle he had within he would never harm her.

" There is nothin' wrong with you Grant MacGuffin." He blushed but he was truly happy, rehleaved maybe. "so why wos' it, Ian wished to hav' me and not Bridget?"

Grant looked up astonished. Bridget was what a perfect woman would look like, but Merida. Her body was a fit proud one , her chest was smaller but full , her hips wide and her skin moonlit pale. she had freckles upon her shoulders and her hair covered most of her down to her thighs. the blood of the northern scots was present in her.

"From whoot i her'-" Grant stuttered. "he wants yu' for your the only one who has denied him affection an' worship." Merida nodded , his words rang of the truth. She walked towards him and he shook at the knees.

"Merida-" He pleaded. "Please-"


	30. Chapter 30

The Celts were a proud race, an ancient one, one where warrior woman where in abundance. They let their hair fly long and wild as a untamed horses mane. Grant thought about the warrior woman from the north as he tried to quiet his heart in his chest watching the last of them stand proudly in front of him. Grant's large hands flexed ,turned into tight knots and then stretch themselves out beside him. He was afraid to move at all as if this vison of Merida was a scared deer and any movement could set her to bolt and disappear forever.

" I am not my own to give because I belong to no one …but what I can give I do so freely…." Merida started. She stood strong as the Stonehenge but her voice was shaking slightly.

"AYE'm nut me own t' give (I am not my own to give )," Grant heard himself say softly to the woman across from him ." Bu- whoot I ken gev Aye gev freely t'yu , an Aye prrromise (but what I can give I give freely to you, and I promise) ," he strode lightly forward " tha- th' hunney will alwsy tast sweeter comin- frum m' hand (that the honey will always taste sweeter coming from my hand )."

Grant had read those words a few times before from the history section of their own library. It was an ancient druid text; about vows between a man and woman - he did not understand them until now. He moved closer and she stepped towards him. Her face was stubborn , but not from lack of emotion, and Grant knew this.

Merida was full of emotion but her nerves had gotten the better of her she met Grant with a hard face, trying not to give way to her feelings. Coming closer she was gifted with the warm touch of his hands on her face, a feeling welcome to her. Merida would only admit to herself that since their absence from each other , she had thought more and more about Grant, and his soft devotion to her. These thoughts turned from random memories , to Merida daydreaming of her past adventures at the lords castles. One war battered hand cupped her pail skin ,as if it was the most precious treasure he had ever seen. Merida held on to his hands as they were shaking , his words had made her feel comforted. Grant searched her face for her reply , only to be surprised with his princesses lips on his own.

Grant was shaking and his body shook with adrenaline it was almost too much to take. He held Merida's bare shoulders and pulled her away from their embrace, shaking and panting as if he had been fighting for his life.

"Merrrida , Aye-" he could not hide the shaking in his voice , he was almost breathless from kissing her passionately ."-Aye donegh want -t' hurt ye." she was a fair bit smaller then he was, Grant was almost a foot and a bit. The thought had just occurred to him, and it scared him. Even his hands covered her shoulders as he held her away from him. His brows crossed in worry and he looked down upon the night dampened grasses at their feet, afraid to look her in her emerald eyes.

"Grant " Merida was blushing but her words urged Lord MacGuffin to meet her gaze. " I ken what I want, and I seldom ask twice." Grants heart fluttered even more , his eyes filled with worry. He had been dreaming about this , with Merida for longer then he would ever admit. She shrugged his grip off her fair skin and put her hands on his chest. Grant let her hands guide him to the ground and she straddled him like a horse. He lay upon the almost endless cloth of his tartan spread down near the fire. Merida was the one to touch him first searching his eyes to see if he consented to every move. Grant's breath flowed through his parted lips , she could see he was excited so she continued, and he groaned to her touch. Grant closed his eyes as her hands moved down his chest, he could not believe this was happening and he moaned her name. Grant had dreamed about Merida on top of him , he had dreamt of her for many nights in different ways and in different places. But this was the most perfect, it was better then anything he had imagined.

Merida touched Grant as she would a wild horse ; that is to say gently and with great caution. She did not want to do something he did not like but by the looks of it Grant was far past changing his mind about what he wanted.

Fully erect he was very sizable , as he was a very big man to begin with it still surprised her.

"Ar' Ye' Surr yu want t'-t' do this wii't me?" Grant was breathing in such a way that his chest rose and sank noticeably, he was nervous. He had turned back into the young man Merida first met. That memory made her smile thinking about how he had snapped a stout log with his bare hands on the request of his father. How timid he was, and how strong he had become, not in the physical sense but strong for his people, his clan. A great leader thought about the feelings of others , and he was proving himself as a thoughtful man as well as being intelligent. lord MacGuffin looked up at the wispy clouds shielding the stars , too anxious to look into her green blue eyes illuminated by the warm fire. In his mind he was still unworthy of her, she was unattainable and untouchable. Merida answered him with a soft smile , and took his erection in her hand pushing himself inside her. It felt uncomfortably big , as she had not had a lover since the stable hand she had a relationship with quite a long time ago. Merida was largely uninterested in sex , not for the lack of men but the lack of interest she had in them. She slowly started to ride him smiling at the man under hear. She was interested in Grant, she certainly did not expect this night to turn out this way but she was aware of her wants and she realised she had been wanting him in this way for some time.

Grant began breathing in moans and gasps, she felt amazing. For a few moments he was afraid to touch her while she was on top of him moving slowly at first. But as the pain subsided and Merida began to feel her own pleasure growing she quickened her motions and Grant let his eyes fall upon the beautiful woman on top of him. He was in awe of her the way her hair looked in the fire light was captivating , her small smile quickened his heart ; she was enjoying him. Seeing this he let his hands slip over her legs and let them rest on her small hips, helping her ride him. Grant's body started to relax , he dare not look away again , he wanted to remember everything about this night. Merida closed her eyes feeling comfortable and focusing on her own mounting climax. Grant could tell she was close and he raised himself to her propping himself off the ground with one of his hands the other wrapped around his princesses lower back. He drew closer to her kissing her and she embraced him kissing him back passionately, finally reaching her climax she moaned herself. Grant found himself close to exploding and he gently as he could , with shaking arms he lifted her off of himself, where he finished on himself . Merida still softly smiling lay next to the giant man on his tartan by the fire. She cuddled next to his warm body as he lay there panting. It was late and she felt the tug of sleep on her eyes and slowly blinked at the fire.

Grants breathing started to regulate again and after a short amount of time he spoke. Hs head was full of questions.

"Whoot happins noow?" Grant said sleepily, he was worried. 'was this the first and last of these encounters ?'

'where did he stand with her?'

'did she enjoy it as much as he did? Was he big enough? Was he too big and he hurt her"

Merida sensed his restless brain working overtime for he was largely silent.

" It depends…" Merida looked up at Grant resting on his bicep. " I Ken you have your Clan to attend to, so you ken not stay here.."

She could almost feel Grants heart break a few inches from her head in his chest. Grant let out a shaky "Aye" in a softly reply . 'was she telling him to leave? Was he that unsavory to Merida? Why should he blame her, he had done many an un-gentleman-like action towards the woman next to him.' Merida was right his heart was breaking.

"Unless you want to stay." Grant looked over at Merida as she said this softly to him. He looked at her carefully and waited for her to continue, he took some of the tartan they slept on and placed it over him and the beautiful lass. " -I want yu- t' stay. I missed you."

Grant was silent and for once she could not read him. Her smile faded as she searched his pale eyes. Then she started to retract into herself feeling uncomfortable. " you don't hav' to-"

"Merida - everry thin' Aye hav doon is for yu' ( Merida Everything I have done is for you.)" He raised a giant paw of a hand and he stroked her bare arm comfortingly. "Aye hav' ammast great tresures , grown m' clans land , all t' be worthy O' yu.( I have amassed great treasures , grown my clans land , all to be worthy of you). Boot I Ken you hav' othrr suiters.( but I know you have other suiters )"

Merida thought about this, yes there was still Young Lord Macintosh , who periodically sent her bad poetry, and other lords from far away. But she was not 16 any more, and more importantly she knew what she wanted. But she felt she was being pushed away by Grant , and that made her feel like she too should push away.

"Im not asking for yu' t- stay if ye don't want to.." She pursed her lips and rose up looking away from the giant beside her.

"Merida -"

"Grant I get it , I hav over looked you and been cold, I understand." Merida's hurt was turning into anger.

"Merida-"

"- I just was asking because well we just- it was not for nothing."

"will ye- just listn-"

"I don't ken what you heard from Bridget but I don-negh act this way with every lord I meet."

"Merida -I love ye…"

"look im just goin- what…" She stopped her angry rant and looked over at Grant who just lay upon the tartan fabric, his eyebrows knit in worry. He looked like a young lad rather then a accomplished lord. He lay there watching her reaction to his feelings. He looked almost defeated by his emotions. Grant could not help but feel this way. Merida was always awkward when it came to emotions, even her own. But her heart fluttered looking back at the blond giant over her shoulder. His pale eyes glinted softly and the brass beads in his beard caught the light in the fire. He was a fully fledged lord in his prime and he was completely at the mercy of her words. Merida did not know what to say because she did not know how to put her words together. But she knew she felt the same.

Grant continued, still stroking her arm.

"Aye told ye aye wood fight fur ye- Aye wood do nerrly anythin' fur' ye ( I told you I would fight for you -I would do nearly anything for you.) Aye'm noot tryin to Footer Aboot with ye , th's night it has been… e'rythin' to me. (I am not trying to fool around with you ,this night has been… everything to me.)"

Grant reached out his arm, touching Merida's back as she hugged her legs facing away from him. 'Even her back was beautiful' he thought letting the outer side of his open hand stroke her skin.

"Aye wunt' t' stay… Boot Aye fel lik' a Nyaff, if Aye-do ( I want to stay… but I feel like I'm worthless/annoying if I do)"

"Why is that? Why would you ever think that?" Merida did not turn around she looked onward into the woods and its dark shadows. It hurt her to know he still had problems seeing his self worth, after everything he had done for her. Everything he had gone through and he still managed to feel small especially when it comes to her.

"Ye'ar' indipendant , whoot wood ye, wan-o-me, Ye killed Crom yurself. ( your independent , what would you want of me, you killed Crom yourself.)" Grant did not mean this in a negative way , he was not attacking her in any way. Merida looked back at Grant her hair fell over her shoulder. Grant opened his hand and held the curly strand carefully.

Merida knew she was standoffish to others, and she must have pushed Grant away. Guilt poured into her and she felt she needed to wright the wrong she had done to him.

"Grant , I need you." He stopped caressing her listening to her every word. " You saved me , remember? What would I have done if you did not haul me off and hide me from the men Feeding that monster?" Grant looked up at her but did not reply, though he was more at ease now. " I would negh do this with you, if I did not feel something for you… something more then friendship." That was as close as she got to talking about her feelings though she wish she had the courage to say more. Merida felt odd after she had said her peace , and she tried to ease the awkward silence by moving away from Grant.

Merida got up and moved over to her cloths slowly , and Grant marvelled at her perfect pail skin. He could not believe she had said such a thing about him. Words would never adequately discribe his feelings. He thought that up till this moment that his warrior princess would never reciprocate any feelings for him, though that would never discourage him. Grant put on his tunic, quickly throwing on his tartan. Merida had put on her night slip her skirt and was trying to do up her corset though it bound in the back. Lord MacGuffin walked over to the red haired woman. He had seen binding like this before and he pulled the cording in the back tightening it. His touch comforted her and Merida wanted him more then anything to stay.

"whoot aboot yu'r suiters?" Gant finally spoke his large hands worked carefully as he could on the fine strings. He pulled them slowly but he was tightening the corset so he continued.

" I would be a damn gowk (fool) if I chose any one of them." Merida said defiantly.

"evin Ian?"

Merida shot him a dirty look and Grant smiled. "ye ken whoot m' Da yus't' say ? ' why murry fur money ye ken borrow it cheaper'(you know what my dad use to say? Why marry for money , you can borrow it cheaper )

Merida … I doneghwant ye to thin'k yu hav't' say anythin yet. Aye hav' been gett'n fair'ly good at waitin aroond ( merida… I do not want you to think you have to say anything yet. I have been getting fairly good at waiting around)" Grant tied an unfortunate looking bow on the back of her corset. Merida turned around it was not meant to hurt her but his words did just that. But she did not feel like responding to defend herself for she could sense that even in jesting Grant's words were tainted with deep heartbreak. After all the compassion he showed her ; running after her in the middle of the night, professing his loyalty to her, even enacting vengeance on Bridget's wrongdoings . Grant had done so much to prove himself to her and what had she done to deserve it? Her heart sunk.

"Grant ." Merida wanted to comfort him or at least to begin to make something up to him. But Grant was right , there would be an issue with the Suitors if she quickly made her feelings known about the Lord of Castle MacGuffin. She would need to try to find a diplomatic way to navigate this. In order for her to be with Grant she would need to find a way to relieve herself of at least Ian Macintosh's affections. If she were to snub him in any way there would be war between the clans. He was too entitled to let his affections towards her be squashed without some sort of violence. Merida remembered the trials for her hand long ago where Ian through a fit over shooting an arrow at a target poorly. He would do something far worse if she suddenly became engaged to a man who was not Himself.

Grant handed Merida her over-dress with a sad look in his eyes. It seemed to him that being with Merida was still a distant possibility. Grant could not change how he felt , so there was no possibility of backing out now. She did not know what to say to make him feel better and Grant left the grove after he kicked out the fire by the lake.

Merida took a slow walk back to the castle on Angus her horse as Grant walked back separately.


	31. Chapter 31

The forest had begun to lighten from the oncoming day. The dew had formed and glinted from all around Merida. Angus clipped along the dark path between the trees , then flicked his ears unsteadily in front of him to the left. Merida was smart enough to que into the small actions on her animals . Something was just in front of them. She calmly rode on aware of the dagger by her belt , and the speed of her horse. In her home lands there was seldom to worry about. But she was always ready.

The red headed woman thought back upon Grant McGuffin and her heart ached, how could it be she was free to give herself to the one she loved but not her hand without some type of war starting up. She thought about how he made her feel safe, but free to feel and do everything she wanted without judgement. She felt free with Grant. All Merida ever wanted was to be free ; free to do what her heart yearned for .

That was to say she wanted to be with Grant . Not be able to openly chose the only man she could love and be loved by was torturous. Her mind drifted to the last time she felt a great wrong being forced upon her and to the woodcarver in the woods, back when she was 16, then Merida smiled thinking of Ian Macintosh being turned into a great big bear but she would never go down that path again. She had sworn off dealings with magic for good , there would have to be another way. The sound of bells snug her horse had heard for a while now was now audible to her own ears. Some thing was moving in the long grasses of a field to her left as the trees thinned out at the lip of a valley. Merida slowed Angus, and sure enough her eyes rested on a bond fire with many dancers 150 yards away. Beltane.

Unknown masked dancers appeared at the end of spring welcoming in the weather ripe for growing . Some said if one joined in on the dance you could slip into the fairy world or through time backwards and forwards. Merida thought it was tempting , if she only could go back to the first time she met Grant. She could fix things. But the risk of being lost in time forever made her shiver , she knew well enough it was better to watch the dancers and not chance her fate. The tinkering of bells was surely from the dancers , but a much more organic chime came closer to her then from across the field.

There beside Merida a few feet into the woods a three fingered hand gripped a tree trunk , Angus shivered under her. The hands green wet flesh gave clue to what the creature was and large wet fish eyes peered out of the shadows of the trees. It moved like no creature she hunted as it was older then most trees in the woods and was created by ancient magic . It was the shellycoat from before. Meridas face was still of emotion, even when surprised she kept her cool of a well seasoned warrior. It spoke in old tongs of the people that lived long before , but she understood it.

( red hair) it seemed calmer then the first time she had met it in the water. ( we are coming back , we do not fear being eaten )

" we?" Merida crossed her brows , the Shelly coats eyes darted to his right. Merida focused in as hard as she dared to over the creatures seashell covered shoulder . There further in the woods was slender ,elegant figures . She would have never seen them as they made no sounds and traveled so softly. It was the Tuatha Dé Danann , the fair folk. Merida had never seen them , only heard about them in stories. They moved like no human ever could , walking as if gliding on a sheet of ice. They were tall and though shadowed heavily some glinted at her in the darkness. Now and then a woman would walk into view with golden hair so bright it looked like starlight in the dim of morning.

Then they were gone.

( we have come to see the dance. The evil from the north has gone. The one who eats from bellow is dead)

Merida nodded strait faced looking back at the shrivelled green creature .'So the monster was not coming back then.'

( yes ) the winkled wet face gave what seemed to be a smile , but its blackened teeth that showed between the green smiling lips gave Merida an unsettling feeling.

(it was killed , they call you the god-slayer the monster killer… di you kill Crom?)

"Aye, they do, and that's what they say."

(we do not forget-) The shelley coat backed away deeper into the woods its large eyes fixed on the red headed woman, as more and more of the creature moved out of view.

( we do not forget - and we are thankful)

The creature was lost in the darkness and even the chime of its shells was gone.

Merida was alone again. She turned to the dancers in the field, all that was left was a few figures and they too left the valley as the sun crested over the hills. The dew held onto the first rays of sunlight and they beaded as pearls of light scattered over every green surface of the valley she was in.

Merida started her ride her home and willed Angus onward down a well worn but rarely used path.

Her mind was still on the green wrinkled shellycoat. Something it had said bothered her. It had assumed she was the only one who killed Crom Cruach. That was not entirely true in her own mind. For if she herself was not saved , then none would be alive today.

Her heart ached when she thought of the lord MacGuffin ;all he had vowed to her and all he had done. He was the one who had saved her time and time again. for If he did not save her; the shellycoat , her people and every other living creature would go down that slate black hole haloed by endless rows of razor teeth, if they were not burned by the Viking first.

But they all lived , and the only person people thanked for saving their princess was Ian Macintosh. He had pulled her out of the cold sea but it was the lord of castle McGuffin who had silently saved her time and time again. ' he must be acknowledged for the man he was' . But then she thought.

' that's not the man grant is' Merida moved Angus forward towards her home and thought about how Grant was never boisterous, he was kind and brave and loyal amongst many other things. This is why legions followed him, why his people loved him , they would die for him. 'I think He may already be acknowledged as the man he is.' There was no change of her mind, and whether it lead her to ruin or prosperity she had already decided her fate, and that was to pursue her affections for Grant.

Merida walked into the stables just as the people of her castle were waking up and the sun painted the sky pink behind gray clouds.

There was much work to be done and her problem with Ian needed to be settled.

And if anyone could settle a hard problem it was her brothers.

Grant had begun his walk back to the castle in a round about way. Merida was also on his mind. Earlier that evening he had seen the wisps and followed them. They lead him to his fire haired maiden. This he took as a sign of fate. It was his fate to be with her he thought, and after what had happened tonight in his mind he was as good as married to the woman of his dreams. All those years ago he had fallen for her the first time he set his eyes on her. Grant stroked his blond beard , it had grown to rest upon the highest spot on his chest. Grant already ached for Merida and every step away from her was a burden on his heart. He bit his lip thinking intently. There had to be a way to be with her, yes he had his lordship, but there must be a way. Whatever was to happen he knew he would never stand for Merida to give her hand to another, at least not to Ian Macintosh. If that ever happened there would be war.

Grant walked upon a cottage he had not seen on the path before and in the glimmering light of dawn he could see there was smoke drifting out of the chimney. The forest was still dim and a light shone from inside, whoever lived there was awake. There on the side of the house was a store sign with the carving of a bear. Lord MacGuffin paused on the path, and the door opened to him though no one was there to do so. The hairs stood up on the back of his neck and arms as a crow with seemingly more intelligence then the average bird watched him from atop of a chair left on the lawn of the cottage. Its eyes ; onyx pebbles wet and shimmering , and somehow it gave him a smile with its beak.

Do birds smile?

Grant took a step back and then a figure appeared at the door.

"C'n I intrest ye in a wooden carving Lord?"

"Ach, no." Grant shook his head , 'how did she know he was a lord?' Then he walked on past the cottage as the old woman smiled along with the raven watching him make his way down the path to towards the castle.

Grant walked into the stables , there a large black horse with a white blaze looked up at him. It was the Princesses mount, and by the looks of it she had been back for a while.

One of his men came up to Grant, seeing him enter the courtyard. It was Fraser MacGuffin, his right hand and confident.

"M'lord."

Grant looked up his eyes weary with lack of sleep. But there was a peace to his cousins son, and that made him glad. Something had happened in the forest , and whatever it was it was good.

"-we just g't word Lurd Macintosh and his son will bee arriving in the next few days."

Grant let the calm wash away from him and his blue eyes turned steely.

"Aye?" Grant willed him to continue. There must be a reason for this surprise visit.

"-its abbot the Princesses hand."

Grant felt sick his stomach felt as if it fell to the floor.


	32. Chapter 32

"Ye did this dident ye?" Merida shot fire out of her eyes at the eldest of the three brothers.

"No" Harris said calmly looking over his sister from a warm cup of broth his brothers flanking him at his sides also enjoying breakfast.

"Then who arranged this meeting?!"

Hamish turned to Hubert and in a snarky voice spoke up." I bet it was the black haired hurt' broken cryin bairn Ian."

"It was " Harris said calmly. "He is heart broke, or he thinks he is. He's come to ask for your hand. "

"How did ye ken?" Hubert was still over protective over Merida since her fall into days of sleep. The youngest of the three let his ears turn red from the proposition of Ian wedding his sister. The family Dunbroch liked the clan Macintosh very much but there was something off about their Lord-to-be Ian.

" I heard Mother talking about it , and the men from the port confirmed that Macintosh ships were sailing south towards us. Ian wants for nothing but your hand ,he thinks he has some entitlement to it-"

"Baugh!" Hamish spat disgusted.

"How could he think such a thing ?" Hubert gritted his teeth, he was not one to get angry , that was usually Hamish's trademark.

Merida was about to open her mouth in protest but it seems her brothers were just as insulted as she was , she sat down on the bench opposite the boys at the table in the kitchens.

"We sud' ring him thrugh tha' Jakey dobber!" Hamish grabbed at his sword hilt to back up his words. He meant it. Harris was the only calm one out of the three boys and he continued eating his meal waiting his turn to talk. No he did not like the idea of Ian as a brother in law to the family as much as his brothers did,but the only way out of this was to think things through. And he was thinking.

"I should see him then." The three red haired Scottish lads looked up. Hubert grew pail , Hamish looked on angry as a full blush took over his face , while Harris sat in silence . Merida continued. " the rest of the clans they think that Ian saved me."

"Bu' that ney the truth." Hubert pleaded meekly.

" But its what the clansmen believe. They think he saved me at the battle of MacGuffin and in the north as well at Castle Macintosh. What would I look like if I said 'no' outright? There would be war, the clan would feel disrespected, overlooked."

"Merida , how can Ye say that? You would agree to be with tha' jobby?" Hubert spoke up. Hamish continued feeling his youngest brother's heart break for his sister. He had barely saved her and now with her second chance at life she would willing being bound in a relationship that she would be unhappy in. a fate worse then imprisonment.

" ye are not the type to let someone speak for ye, or chose y'ur fate against ye will. Is this whoot ye really want sister?" Hamish said quieter now.

'against my will? Did they know about Grant MacGuffin?, no not yet' Merida tried to get her brothers to sympathize with her wishes. "Aye. The clansmen will want answers if I say 'no' to Ian. If I talk to him…"

"Do you really think talking to Ian will fix this?" Harris looked at her with a chilling seriousness. Ian was stubborn. But not in a good way as merida's will was hardened. Ians hard headed nature came from his selfishness and hot temper birthed from a spoiled from a spoiled childhood.

"I can try." Merida stood steadfast with the stern command of the queen she would be. "I have t' try."

" Whoot ar' ye thinking? Ye cannegh see her now! Where hav ye bin all night?"

"I can and I will Fraser, AN' AYE go as wher' Aye please." Grant turned on his dads best friend. Grant was much bigger now, both shoulders and head above his fathers cousin. The lord was fearsome when mad , but thankfully he was a level headed man. Usually.

Fraser bit back like a dog baying at a bear. "Donegh give me tha' shite! Aye donegh care I cannegh have you actin inproppr,ye culd start a war acctin this way."

"There will be no war because I will settle this." Grant continued towards the castle. His rage came from the thought of Ian taking Merida's hand, he needed to talk to her. Fraser roughly grabbed his Lords shoulder and whipped him around to face him. Grant was red in his pale cheeks, fist clenched , fists that could snap young trees in half with ease.

" Why did ye' need to see the crown princess fur?" Fraser said in a harsh whisper searching Grants face. " The prinsesses mount was no in the stables early this morn'… Is that where ye wer? Wer ye with the lass?"

Grant looked down upon his most trusted friend, his eyes softened.

"Ye canegh tell anyone-" Fraser smiled, to Grants horror.

Fraser rubbed his stubbly face, he would shave his beard off now and then and it was sprouting back. " ye' never snuck out past night for tha' black cat , whoot happened oot there?" He smiled sneakily, the boy who he helped raise was falling in love.

Grant stayed quiet his heart fluttered in his chest. That was all the talking Fraser needed, he had raised the boy from a young age side by side with Grant's father, Fraser knew Grant inside and out.

" t's no much o' a secret Grant." Fraser tried to hide his chuckle, there was still some innocence left over from boyhood in his Lord and it was a testament to how true his moral compass pointed. A wave of precious memories came over Fraser MacGuffin of the little boy he helped grow into a man. Grant was just as much his son as his own would be had he ever had children.

" We all ken,-" Fraser was talking about the high clansman, his trusted circle.

"How long hav' ye ken fur?" Grant looked slightly hurt that his second in command would hide things from him. But Fraser continued on.

"After the battle back home. Ye looked different." Fraser waved his hand over his face looking for the words." somthin in Ye eyes." Grants lips tightened at the thought of being easy to read. "ye wer' distant wit us, ye men. It happened fist when the Princess returned wit' Ye frum t' forrest. Tru'ly we thought ye was sick. Then ye got deprrssed , even aroond your former birde-to-be. It wos her." Fraser gave a nod to a tapestry that depicted the Royal family of Dunbrogh. Meridas likeness stitched by her mother with strands of gold in her red hair. "ye was longing for her. Ive seen yer Da' do it. The lord before ye, with yer Mum. When he was away from her he was sick, sick in the heart as you wer. Bu' somthin has changed has'nt it Grant."

Grant gained his emotions and was rock solid once again. He looked down at Fraser with all seriousness.

" Ian has come to Dunbrogh."

"I ken."

"He has com' fur' Merida's hand an' Ay must stoop it."

Fraser grew pale , he and his men has suspected ill of Clan Macintosh since the battle with the old god of the north. The worm survived all these years in secret, someone had to have been feeding it. But no one could prove it was the Macintosh Clan. If their future queen was wed to a man who willingly made sacrifices to a dark god, what peril would she be in? as her fate would also be their own.

"Will she then?" Fraser hissed at Grant. "will she take his hand?" He grabbed his Lord by his damp spring coat.

"Nev'r" Grant said his words like a wolf bearing his teeth.

In Grants heart he was Merida's as a husband, the morning had seen them wed.

His anser infuriated fraser who shook grants arm in a vice grip.

"Whot ever promis ye made to eachother is nothin without the blessin of the king an queen!" Grant threw his arm up into the air and broke Frasers grip, but still he would not yield to the lord of MacGuffin. The two resembled two stags locking their horns, neither one backing down.

"We ar' wed." Grant had fire in his eyes he would never give up the woman who loved him as fearcely as he loved her.

Fear sent a chill through Frasers bones. "Wed-?" He shrunk back. "Whoot hav' ye done? Do you ken tha' ye can hav' us all killed your mother included."

"Merida would nevr-"

"Is negh the princess's will we hav to worry aboot. Tis' the BEAR KING's will. Do ye ev'n ha'v a plan?" Fraser was right Grant did not admit is but it was true that if the king did not approve of their union then they all would be lost.

"look, Grant " Fraser did not use Grants first name since he had become Lord. "ether' way we can'negh hav' Ian and Merida form a union. Our'Lads frum clan MacGuffin susspects Ian of some dark secrets , if he wos king ach. Then Dunbrogh is lost as well. Com then." Fraser motioned his Lord over with a jeer of his head to head back to his own chambers. " Lets sort this oot." Grant MacGuffin followed his most trusted friend to their own rooms in the great castle , but he could not tear his eyes away from the black haired Scots from the north as they started to file into the great hall. Ian and his clan must already be here.

But Ian was not in the castle.

An old woman took up one her many knives and rocked back in forth in her wooden chair. Like everything in the room it had been carved by her small but strong hands. Today she was working on a small block of basswood. Her pet and companion by her shoulder at the back of the chair grooming his feathers. Her shop had filled back up with carvings and trinkets customers were few but she got by. Then the hair on her arm stuck up. She stopped her work and looked at her arm slowing the rocking of her chair. Her pet looked up from his shimmering coat of coal down. The sky had been relatively clear today, no storms in her forecast , her bones tingled only when storms turned in the skies- that or when-

Someone stormed in the door faster then she could get up off her chair.

"Oh a customer!" She put on a pleasant smile and coo'ed at the man with raven hair in her door way. He closed the door behind him. She usually rubbed others the wrong way with her odd behavior- this is must what it felt like to be them the old woman though as she continued to smile at the young man.

" welcome to my small woodcarving shop feel free to brows! Oh deery yu remind me o' someone, I jus' cannegh put my finger on it, oh well, can I interest ye in a door knocker?" She picked up a bear shaped carving and pulled on a wooden bead attached to the carving with a strong cord of leather , once pulled the bear leaned back on its tree and when released it made a hard knocking sound as it snapped back into place. But the strangers eyes did not rest on her beautifully carved art pieces, he was looking at her caldron.

The handsome young man ignored her, and stepped towards the hearth in the middle of the room, and she intervened.

"A cheese board then? Or a lovely sword holder?" She held a nicely carved oak plank infront of him.

"ugh, no. I need a spell-" his words struck her like a slap in the face.

"Ha! Wah, well I doneh ken where to find such a thing but I do hav a nice butter churn - first one I made in some time ye ken-"

"He gives me a bad feelin-" The Crow in the corner hissed at his mistress. The black haired lad looked at the crow and the crow looked back at him. The old woman loathed to loose a customer but the Feathered friend in the corner was right ,this man was up to nothing good. She then rushed a pamphlet of her handiwork into his hand and started to push him out of the door. In a cheery voice she continued. "Well its all right there in the catalog I gave ye- woodcarvings from my little cottage, but I hav to let you go , hate to see ye leave an all but im very busy , I have lots to do today-"

"I can pay."

This stopped her in her tracks , the crow shook his head.

"Ah, Aye'm listnin."

"I need this -" The lad pushed a ripped paper into her hand , the parchment was from an old book maybe as old as she was. She unfolded it carefuly.

"If it is negh a carving then I can'negh help ye-" The writing on the paper was hard to decipher but not impossible. It was a recipe of sorts, it was a spell. But It was dark magic and the hair all over her body stood up.

"I cannegh read it-" She lied , and trusted the paper into his hands trying to push him out the door once more.

"Even if I can give you this?"

He withdrew from his spring cloak a large dagger. It looked as if it was made of pure crystal but it was something more sinister, the whole tang was covered in small writings.

"It's not for you to hav'- were did ye get it?" The old woman said her smile and cheery voice wiped away. It was a relic , a powerful one , they called it Crom's tooth.

The lad smiled a handsome smile and whipped around putting the blade in her hands.

"The gems themselves could pay for three of these shops."

She took the dagger and hid it in her dress, she did not want the money , this was not for mortal hands to hold. Yes she would take it but only as to destroy it later.

"An' Ye will go if I do this for ye?" She snapped the paper back out of the lads hands. The crow hobbled from leg to leg impatiently, he was worried. The crow had seen such a dagger before on his travels to the north , where they still made sacrifices to dark gods. Both the crow and his mistress knew this was one of those sacrificial daggers.

"I will send ye your packages, assuming yur' goin to buy my art."

"Art? If that suits you …witch."

The old woman scrunched up her nose and walked over to the caldron, with a snap of her fingers the 'open' sign turned in the window and the door bolted shut.

Ian never flinched.


	33. Chapter 33

The witch pulled up the sleeves of her dark green shawl above her elbows and took the paper in her hands under the light of a candle. The ingredients were simple enough she had most of them. Most of them except- The woman looked at Ian Macintosh the same way her Crow did. That was to say suspiciously with one eye ; and he produced a vile made of silver. Her old hand reached for the container, he had come prepared and this made her uneasy.

"M' mum she ken how this all worked but I never learned the craft. She's not alive t'day so you will have t' do. This is all she had left- twas a spell she did often." Ian caught his reflection in the black cauldron and brushed a hand through his raven hair admiring himself. The Crow huffed at Ian and rolled his eyes as he landed on his mistresses shoulder looking over the writings on the paper. The Woman shrugged ,what was in the vile she took out of Ian's hands was the small bones of a brownie. Small creatures usually living beside or around humans; kind folk with no intent to harm as they had good little spirits in them.

That's who Ian reminded her of, he looked like his mother who she had heard tales of before. His mother was a witch, she remembered. Ian's mother was a beautiful woman with raven hair so long and wavy she let it fall to the floor in a river of black water springing from her head cascading to the floor. The black witch of the north was knows for luck and love spells the latter being forbidden. They said the trees of the Macintosh bore fruit in unseasonably cool weather from her magic and the apples had healing properties. The black witch of Macintosh had fallen ill and no one could save her not even her only child who she spoiled rotten. Ian Macintosh was that child, yes he was missing his mother as he had only lost her five years ago. The witch had promised her son he could have any woman he wanted if he so willed it. To his mother Ian had tolled her of the woman he wished to be his - Merida the daughter of the Bear King. To this Ian's mother was gleeful and told him to be patient and that the next time he met with the Princess she would give him a love spell - one that would make him irresistible to anyone who drank it. But that never came to fruition as she had fallen sick shortly after and Ian did not see Merida until a year or so ago , long after his mothers death.

The woodcarver flicked her hand dismissively at a knife on a chopping block and it quickly animated and started chopping enthusiastically. On the chopping board she threw a dried toad and with the other hand she tossed what looked like a pile of moss into the boiling pot. The cauldron slowed it's boil until she added a silver powder into the waters and the color of the sludge turned to putrid purple then the waters cleared to a rose when the chopped amphibian and a pile of herbs sunk to the bottom. The witch snapped her fingers and the windows violently shut, the crow cawed at the sudden darkness, the next part of this would have to be done away from the light of the sun.

The content of the cauldron was like a nebula of pink and blues swirling around barely bubbling illuminating the carvers shop. She set the vile of small human like bones Ian had given her on the table in a vice. This reaction she predicted would be an unstable one and she clinked the vice until the vile was firmly locked in. The woodcarver snapped her fingers and a wooden ladle with a bear for a handle flung into her hand from across the room almost hitting Ian who was still adjusting in the dim light. He had to duck away from the flying object and lucky for Ian he did just in time for the wooden ladle looked heavy. at this the crow chuckled. The woman put on a pare of dark glasses once the crows had a matching set to. The bird clutched the tin and darkened glass and put them on his beaked face as he perched beside the vice watching his mistress pour a healthy ladle into the container of bones. Once the liquid touched the dried objects at the bottom of the silver flask small sparks shot up into the air and for a few moments it looked like an iron workers kiln as the spray fell to the floor and harmlessly extinguished themselves. The vile shook but the vice held it in place as the raven looked on as small sparks bounced off his coal colored feathers.

the witch snapped her fingers again and waved at the knife on the chopping block. The windows flew open and the knife fell flat and motionless on the wooden block with a rattle.

"Ther- don… any maiden who drinks this will be inlove with ye- cannegh be brok unless she has eyes for anothr' just add yr hair t' the vile before it is taken." Ian could barely see he blinked at the light from the windows as he still was seeing stars from the fireworks show. The crow shook his glasses off his face and caught them with his claws. His mistress flipped up her glasses and un did the vices grip, placing the top tightly on the vile and handed the still warm liquid into Ians palms."I'll be sendin you t' bill an we will hav' your packages deliverd t' ye by weeks end- where are ye stayin?"

"The castle, where the king livs, its Ian Macintosh." Ian put his hand out to feel his surroundings as if he was a blind man as he was making his way to the door.

" I figured-quite a few customers from that aways- bye deerie treet her well."

"Humpf" Puffed the crow from the woman's shoulder watching Ian go down the path. "-he only has love for himself."

"Aye, that an't non o or bussness." And the woman shut the door.

Even if Ian was not recovering his eyesight it would have been hard to have noticed that someone had been watching him with the palest green eyes under long sweeping silver hair.

Back at the castle Merida had met with one of Ians high ranking clans men to discuss the meeting pertaining to marriage - as disgusted at she was to the entire idea. She had ended the small conversation agreeing that she would except a meeting in the presence of her brothers once Ian returned. From where he went off to the Macintosh Clansmen were vague. But Merida got a slight chill when she noticed something on their crest pin's of one of the men. It was extraordinarily old, but its markings she could have sworn she saw before.

The Princess dismissed the thought and she traveled down the hall before being flanked by Fraser MacGuffin.

He must have been waiting for her as she left the Macintosh rooms.

"Yur grace-" He greeted her walking along side her hands behind his back forming a ball. His jaw was covered with a halo of golden stubble of a beard struggling to grow back and his golden hair was pulled tight into a ponytail so short it reminded her of when workhorses had bobbed tails. The Golden Mountain Grant's father had two pigtails similar to the hair his cousin had. Merida kept her pace she wanted council from her brothers , or at least a chat with her mother before she had to tell Ian she would not be interested in his proposal.

Merida nodded and He continued. " -it has come to the attention of most that Ian Macintosh is here."

The Clansman was very formal, like her mother , it rubbed her the wrong way as she liked to get to the point of conversations and had no patience for small chit chat.

"Aye." Merida gave him a look as if he thought she was dumb. He was smart enough to see the Macintosh clansman around the castle anyone would have known that. He cleared his voice, she was not in the mood for formalities.

"At th' battle o' Macintosh we had seen a glimpse o' Crom Cruach."

Shivers bolted down Meridas back, he had her attention now.

" n't a soul had herd o' th' grreat worm for almust 100 yers', whoot is that? Three ? Fur? Generations."

"why ar' ye bringin up Crom Cruach?"

"Because my lady… somone has been feedin him all this time, and thos men ar still alive. They may even be her'"

Merida nodded, she remembered catching the men at the alter before the great worms home, men had still been making sacrifices to the old god, and she was already aware of the probability of it being done by the hands of Macintosh men. But now that news had seem more relevant, these were men who were practicing dark arts and she was about to talk to their future king.

"Whoot happens if we canegh prove it?" Merida said softly, Fraser was surprised she was already aware of the circumstance with the Macintosh men.

" I have negh answer for ye, but we canegh let them go free, unprosecuted. Such dark arts ar' forbidden."

Merida though for a moment and slowed her walk they were out of range from the eyes and eyes of the Macintosh men.

"I will talk t' m'father aboot this." She looked into Fraser MacGuffins eyes. He was taken aback by her beauty, it was little wonder that his Lord was in love with her and his heart filled with fatherly joy. He wanted to reach out and console her as a father would for in his mind she was his soon to be niece-in-law, though he was unsure if she knew he knew about her vow to his Lord. But instead he bowed slightly and started to walk away from the princess, but she softly spoke to him as he went to depart, stopping him in his tracks.

"Tell your lord not t' worry aboot me."

And Fraser smiled heartily for a second before forcing the smile into a serious face nodding at his future queen.

"Aye, my lady." She had , in a way acknowledged her vows to Fraser MacGuffin. Now all he had to do was to see it that their union was set in stone, and blessed by the Bear King, something he had yet to figure out.


	34. Chapter 34

Ian slowly made his way back to the Dunbrogh castle. Its dark stone rose menacingly up into the sky in an authoritarian way that Ian Macintosh just did not like. His eyes were feeling a bit better from the sight of sparks in dim light and he blinked away the pain feeling triumphant. The castle could look down at him all it wanted but he felt like the cat that caught the mouse. His jet black hair shimmered almost greasily , he would have to have a bath soon, before he met the Princess. He had the potion around his neck and he gripped it now and then as if he could loose it. It was spring but Ian chose to showcase his bare chest under a thick black wolf fur cloak parting it now and then so people could view his strong body. His blue tattoos caught many men's eyes. He had added to his collection of swirls and knotwork on his skin since he was last at this castle. Ian was the spitting image of his father but sported certain characteristics of his mother. Traits like his vibrant blue eyes and raven hair with a slight wave.

He strode over the moat and was joined by two of his most trusted chieftain warriors , who also happened to be his playmates when they were boys.

" Aye s' how was the hag?" The black haired Pict with tattoos over his entire face smirked. He was Cinead Macintosh. The Picts had a distinct quality of being dark haired ,wiry and boastful. The three men walked together with a swagger a giant bull might have had walking through his pasture of cows.

Ian let his eyes twinkle mischievously as he held up the vile on a leather rope around his neck. They passed some fair almost white haired maidens at the black smith shop. The two black haired clansmen smiled at their future lords successes making them only more haughtily .

"Will Eet make her bed ye' right away?" The tattooed faced man jabbed at his future Lord in an excited whisper.

"It May." Ian smiled at the idea, he had almost had the chance to bed her at his castle. Something he believed would have happened if a black haired woman did not try to Bait and Switch him at Castle MacGuffin. The note was a forgery but Ian refused to believe it was as it was much more pleasing to him to think the Princess secretly wanted him. Cinead jabbed the other Chieftain with a knotty fist and the three chucked like children up to tricks and mischief. They continued into the courtyard deeper into the castles fortifications, and they passed a red haired warrior who gripped the pommel of his long sword as he watched them pass.

Hamish clenched his jaw and gave the two warriors and Ian a sour look, he knew the look they had on their faces. He and his brothers shared the same sneaky look when they were up to no good , he already did not trust the Picts as there was whispers they dabbled in dark magic. He watched them for as long as he could stand, something caught his eye. Ian had a silver locket on a necklace. He was not the type for lockets , and this one he clutched as if he wanted to keep it safe. Ian had no use of jewelry that did not have a significant meaning so he stomped off angrily as he was eager to find his eldest brother.

"Who dose it work?" A monotone voice as smooth and thick as the icy waters of a cold spring stream chimed up. The Pict on the right of Ian was Raibert Macintosh -"puddock " they called him. For he was in many ways like a puddock, a toad. He was cold by nature and slimy. His hair was often greasy and stick strait, though long and flowing to his hips. He was handsome enough but his gauntly face with high cheekbones, sunken in cheeks and paler then normal skin made his black eyes seem bottomless and vacant.

"Rrr, I think I hve to put som o my hair in it and geet her t' drink it, then she will be mine." Ian said dreamily.

"Just as ur mother promised." Cinead said sorrowfully as he touched his chest, the whole clan mourned her loss she had been a good mother and a fair asset to the clan. He remembered Ian's mother as she was a mother figure to all three of them and they had loved her dearly.

The black eyes of Puddock had picked up on the sour looking Harris and had watched him depart. He turned his dead eyes back to the road ahead , like a toad he was always watching without expression.

"whoot ever you do ye hav' t' do it fast." Poddock said factually. Cinead had picked up on what his friend was talking about.

"Aye think he is right , the clans men here seem suspicious." Cinead looked around at the eyes of the red haired clansmen on the three friends as they continued to their wing in the castle. He spit on the castle floor at them as they had entered the personal home of the king and queen.

Ian shrugged dismissively and smiled at a group of woman who swooned at his sparkling smile. He did not care a stick about any woman now that he thought he was infatuated with Merida. But he was a sucker for attention and their swoons boosted his confidence though he would soon forget their faces in a few minutes.

" They will have to learn to get over it as I will marry Merida and be their king. " Ian said smugly.

Poddock nodded, that would soon be true.

"wee Dingwall it is nice t' see you what is the meaning of this visit?" The queen had smoothly asked the stately looking Rabbie Dingwall with a sleepy look on his face.

"My lady we are here for the spring equinox , we have come with presents."

"Aye?" the queen said suspiciously , many whispers had come to her ears of a secret wager on her daughters hand in marriage.

"Aye?" Chirped the Bear king excited about the presents that were mentioned and turned his attention away from his dear deer hounds that lovingly sought his attention at the kings feet.

Ian Macintosh had entered the great hall and stood in the shadow of the door way carefully gritting his teeth at the sight of Wee Rabbie. His two friends at his shoulders like black war dogs that mirrored his look of smoldering anger at the almost white haired young lord. He was also here for Merida.

Rabbie nodded his head and his two sisters came forward , pale beautiful flowing woman. One with a rabbit in her arms tied around the neck with a smart red bow and her sister with a basket of brightly colored eggs.

"We will be providing the feast this evening" One of them cooed as a white dove.

"One hundred Rabbits and crates of eggs we brought our own cooks." the other sister chimed sweetly , they all had shared the vacant and stately look their brother had as well as his almost silver white hair. The cooks mentioned stepped forward there was about 2o of them and each had gifts of rabbits, spices and eggs ready to be cooked.

"hopefully this will bring upon some …fertility to our land this year."

Ian could have snapped Rabbies neck the way he said' fertility' his mind shot to a vision of the silver haired lad pressuring Merida for her hand in marriage .

Ian's blood boiled.

But that did not just enrage Ian as much it had whipped Grant into a furious anger. He looked on to the royal family and specifically Wee Dingwall with fire in his eyes as he watched from the crowd in front of the podium.


	35. Chapter 35

Merida was dressed in a green gown as she entered the great hall in time to hear the end of the announcement from Rabbie Dingwall. That he was over for an Ostara feast. It was not unheard of but the news did surprise her for Wee Dingwall did not just 'do things'. He was up to something she thought but she was distracted for then suddenly all eyes were on her. Merida had entered the great hall while there was an audience and her mood shifted from suspicious to nervous from all the eyes that were on her.

"Ah, my daughter." The queen nodded at Merida to come forward. Merida telling herself of the warrior she proved herself to be gained her royal composer followed her mothers que. She was on the best terms with her mother since her teenage outbursts, she realised now that her mother was always on her side. Yes they still had their moments but when they were in front of a crowd she tended to do as her mother asked. In return the Queen, Her mother had let go of the reins on her private life completely. Harris gave her a sleek smile as he stood next to the king in his massive chair beside the dogs . Hubert sat next to the Queens chair and Hamish had just entering from the far left of the crowd sitting anxiously next to his oldest brother.

The princesses' gown had indeed took the attention from the gifts from the Dingwall clan to the only daughter of Dunbroch. This was the time of year she did not mind to dress up , for it celebrated the power of the young maiden ;something Merida fully endorsed for she secretly wished there was more woman like her. Ostara was the season of renewal, of the greatness a young woman could show the world she could posses. This was the time that people celebrated and embraced Merida's behavior. Merida loved this time of year so much she even allowed herself to wear a thin circulate of gold upon her red fiery hair. It was rich with green gemstones shaped like leaves to worship the goddess coming back to life.

The gown was vibrant emerald and was thick warm and rich looking. Merida hair had also grown in the past months and it came down in tight ringlets past her knees. She soon joined her mother in more then a few stomping commanding steps of an able bodied warrior.

The queen smiled proudly at the response from the crowd to her daughter; she was so beautiful in formal ware.

"Wee Dingwall has offered to help host the Ostara meal." The Queen of Dunbroch folded her hands neatly into each other after nodding to Rabbie Dingwall. She then shot her daughter a look as to remind her of her manners. Merida nodded at her mother acknowledging her duties as a royal. She was still uncomfortable with the duties she needed to uphold but she wielded her manners better now.

"err..That is a lovely thing t' do . Thank ye' Wee Dingwall." Merida nodded her head in a small bow and Rabbie nodded back. The princesses' mother beamed at her.

Ian sighed like a young lass in love at Merida as she bowed neatly. Ian was swooning at her as his friends talked approvingly of the young queen by his sides.

"Bonny." Puddock blinked slowly , talking about Merida.

"Aye, she's as soft as a Wee Doo ( small dove) I hav' no dout." Cinead whispered over Ian Macintosh's shoulder.

She was beautiful as any queen ever had been when Merida was not running amuck in the stables or while she was shooting arrows off in the glen somewhere. The Merida today looked like a different person all together from the blood spattered warrior she was in battle or when she was amongst her people as their champion. Today she looked like a well put together woman carved out of the finest bone covered in a gem colored dress. Inside she felt so distant from all her accomplishments , that is why she always felt so uneasy when she presented herself this way.

Grant had noticed the secret uneasy feelings in Merida's eyes and he wished to join her by her side to be there for her.

But as he stood in the crowd Grant MacGuffin grew more and more red in the ears by all the new competition. He could hear the compliments from Ian where he was standing and he could hardly stand it. In front of Grant men and women whispered of the obvious matchmaking of Ian and Merida. It was common knowledge that Ian had been Merida's champion many times over , so it was a matter of time since they were to be wed. but that was not the truth as the people of Clan MacGuffin saw these tales of battles differently. For it was rightfully so that their lord has been the true champion of their queen to be. This made the warriors of Clan MacGuffin edgy, they too heard the whispers around them and started to get cranky. Grants own brother Garret had shot a nasty look at the man beside Ian Macintosh that unmistakably looked a lot like a cold amphibian, when he overheard them talking about Merida's appearance a bit too much.

Of course Grant MacGuffin could not tell any of the other Clan's men that the princess herself had shared vows with him. For that would put them both at risk of punishment from the fearsome Bear King. But it was hard not to burst out at any moment about his bond to the future Queen, Garret was beside his brother and shifted his weight from foot to foot. Garret had felt his brothers frustration and most of the higher chieftains in the MacGuffin clan knew of Merida and MacGuffin so they too felt a protectiveness over the young queen. Fraser MacGuffin grabbed at the sleeve of his lord , Grant had balled his fists , the small reminder mad e the Lord unclench them and let out a slow exhale.

Rabbie nodded at his clansmen and the majority had departed to the kitchens save his beautiful sisters. The sisters shone their silvery eyes up at Merida lovingly and that also made her feel uneasy.

" my clansman will take care of everything , as long as I can have the honor to sit beside the beautiful lady Merida." this made the crowd talk excitedly.

"Please say yes." The youngest sister politely pleaded sweetly. The queen could not refuse such a request but it was ultimately up to Merida. Merida bit her lower lip her eyes shot at her mother the Queen. Elanor crossed her eyebrows in a silent pleading ,Merida was too old to roll her eyes back at her mothers puppy dog pleadings. She just squinted her eyes at her mother and nodded at Rabbie.

"I will do so. Thank you for hosting the Feast, it is a ….surprise." Rabbie Dingwall smiled at Merida's without smiling in his eyes. Her response was a warning that she knew he was up to something.

Her eyes drifted to a large man in the audience and her heart was ripped in two.

Grant MacGuffin had locked eyes with Merida and in his eyes was heartache. The thought that Merida would be sitting next to a man who wanted to wed her was almost too much to bare. But he stood still, Grant would never reveal anything that would put Merida in a bad position in front of her people. So he turned and shouldered his brother hard to get passed him leaving the hall. Merida ripped her eyes back to Rabbie but was soon distracted by a group of black haired Celts that had booed at the announcement about seating arrangements . They had protested , and shouted that their lord had more right then Rabbie Dingwall to sit beside the Princess. It was hard to tell who threw the first fist but soon they started a small scuffle at the back of the hall with fair haired warriors from clan Dingwall. To which the Queen started pleading the men to stop and everyone's attention was turned to the far corner and not a soul noticed the Lord of MacGuffin leave with his brother.

Ian Macintosh was bearing his teeth at Rabbie Dingwall as Ian's friends grabbed hold of him. Ian had tried to swim through the crowd to work his way closer to the Wee Lord. Rabbie looked over at Ian and smirked smugly at him and that only made Ian Macintosh scramble harder to get at the much smaller man. The Bear King laughed and egged the boys on getting a kick out of the men obviously still fighting over his little girl. But Merida would not let any of them touch her. Not without breaking some bone or dealing out some type of injury on the poor man who tried. So watching them squabble was great entertainment. The Kings dogs also barked excitedly and only added to the chaos.

"Wher' Ye goin?!"

"ANY WHER' than HER!" Grant roared at his brother. The younger brother was grabbing at Grant as he tried to shut his heavy wooden bedroom door on him. His brother managed to pry open the door and Grant MacGuffin gave up fighting him he just stomped to his bed and sat down grabbing at one balled up fist with his other hand.

"Yur' actin like a drn fool!" Garret scoffed at his older brother who's appearance was noticeably ragged. His brother had not washed in a few days and his beard usually strait and full had more then a few hairs out of place. Their father had always kept his beard and hair rigorously brushed and his hair was tied into two tight short ponytails. Grant was wearing his fathers cloak of thickly woven black blue tartan with a large ancient pin upon his breast that had the emblem of a giant caldron.

"Wha!? Ye thin'k im ac'tin as bad as th' eejit Ian ! Oh, Shur!" Go on then tell me whoot im supos' t' Do! Do it Grrant!" Grant snarraled at his brother almost jumping off the bed unable to stay still. His brother did not back off.

"Damned be ! Yur' actin WORSE then Ian!"

"Baugh!" Grant huffed.

"You canegh leave everytim' ye' see Merida wit' O' Nuther man! Yur' goin to get yourself's caught!" Garret pushed his brother hard on his chest and managed to wobble the wall of a man. "Yur SUPOSET'E be thinkin about the Princess , Evrry ma'n in thi's clan is here for yu' an' we ar goin t' work somthin oot! Giv' it time!"

Grant opened up his mouth but there was a nock on the door and the two blond brothers whipped around as the door burst open and Fraser appeared visibly shaken.

"I didnegh tell ye' t' com' in" Grant growled like a giant dog.

"I ken, but look." Fraser was accompanied by two other clansmen and a small frail woman in many layers of white thin fabric. It was the druid. Seeing two almost giant men appear at the door way would have made any man shrink back but it was the look on the druids face that made the men nervous.

"She cam' fur' the festivites, bu' she saught us oot'." Fraser lacked colour in his face. " - she need'd t' talk t' ye. Go on ,m'lady." Then he gave her a small bow.

The druid ignored Fraser and walked into the room right up to the Lord. She was a little too close to Grant then he wanted ,her silver eyes gleamed up at him and he took a step back.

" I remember ye…" The old woman started, pointing at Grant with a long frail finger. "-that is why I hav' suaght ye oot.- Aye rememmbur how ye wer wit' the Woman who look't int' thee caldron." She pointed to Grants pin at his chest.

Grant gasped . "Merida." It was so soft only she could hear it then suddenly Grant's courage came back all at once and he leaned closer to the ageless woman snarling. "Woot is happening Woman."

"Fate has changed suddennl'y fu'r the lady. I had a premminishun. When I came to this land I felt a rift. Black magic is here, som'one has used it'."

The two clansmen and Fraser hid behind one another full of fear, Garret stood stead fast with wild eyes darting back from the druid and his brother.

"Is she in truble?" Grant knotted his fists.

The druid nodded. "Aye-her life will nevrrr be her own."

"Will she die?" Garret mewed.

" Would be bettr' if she wos so." The druid said sorrowfully and began to turn back. The clansmen where a light breeze away from falling over from fear and one of them crashed to the floor for he fainted. Fraser grabbed the man who was roughly his own size and tried to put him on his feet again as the druid walked to the door.

"Why tell me?! Whynegh' tell Merida?" Grant was pale now.

"It wuld do no gud- it tis up t-ye Lord MacGuffin." -And like that she disappeared into the hall way.

"Macintosh." Fraser looked over to Garret at the mention of black magic.

"Has t' be…" Garret said softly back letting the other clansman assist Fraser to help the unconscious man to his feet. But then Garret noticed the look on his Grants face as he held the pommel of his long sword and walked towards the door.

"GRANT!" Garret flew in front of his brother and stood in front of him. Fraser now under the arm of the man who was slowly gaining his senses, kicked the second able bodied clansman. Fraser hissed at him to 'shut the door' and the guardsman slammed it shut before Grant could cross the threshold.

"Donegh do it." Garret put himself as a barrier between the door and the engaged warrior in front of him.

"I''ll kill him…"Grant Roared.

"I KEN! -" Garret barked.

"You will start war…" Fraser's voice was cold as the grave.

"Buh Merida will be free." Grant stated factually.

" Aye , but wee all may parish fur it." Fraser was the voice of reason.


	36. Chapter 36

Elenore Dunbroch was able to quiet down the clan's man and an alternative sitting arrangement was made to please the clans. She sighed for it seemed these men would never stop fighting like children. But what was she to do? She through her braid over her shoulder and looked back at her husband who unmistakably was looking at her backside before she had turned around. He had never stopped his playful boyish want of her even after all these years.

'Speaking of boys' she thought to herself as she gave him a playful scolding look that quickly gave way to a small smile. Her Fergus had always been her greatest support, The queen turned to sit next to him. He had picked up on some worry in her eyes and started to hold her hand as the rest of the clans had departed and food was being brought into the hall for dinner time.

"Whoot is it m' Wee Do? ( small dove )" He kissed her hand and looked up at her through his very hairy and wild eyebrows. Eyebrows that looked humorously like his Irish wolfhound's eyebrows. She gave him a twisted smile and cracked, Elenore whispered.

"I'm afraid to tell ye' husband that I think ur' Daughter is being pressued by the lord's ag'n."

" Aye" Fergus leaned back in his great chair watching his scullery staff put tables and chairs up in the grey hall. "nothin' she Canegh' handle."

Merida sat between Hubert and Harris , this was a sign she was feeling uneasy. Her Mother took note of this too and her heart hurt for her daughter.

"Furgus … she is in love."

"How do ye ken?" Fergus shot a glance at his daughter over his wife's head. "Arr' ye' sure she is not just sick, she looks sick t' me."

The queen shook her head slightly.

"No. She isnegh sick."

"Ach, Aye see, so who woud she b' inlov' wit?" Fergus got serious, looking at his beloved wife, she was a bit sad and that disturbed him a little. "Is this negh' whoot you alw's wanted ,m'doo (my dove)? She will be married to Ian then?" He whispered to the queen. Even Fergus thought the man she would have the best chance to be in love with would be the one who had reportedly saved her life many times.

"Is negh' Ian." Elenore looked up at Fergus.

"Ah, Crivens." He said softly back nodding. He understood. "-the clans wuld hav' a war thn." He said so in a 'matter of fact' sort of way. Fergus would not be wrong ; looking at the way the Macintosh clan had made a big stink over a seating arrangement. For If they felt overlooked, as they would feel, had they knew of Merida's true feelings , there would in fact be a war. The Bear King for all his playfulness and boyish-rough nature understood politics a bit better now then he had merely five years ago.

"Th'n she must negh wed." Fergus whispered. Elenore's heart broke for her daughter. What the king said had a hard truth.

'How did it come to this?' Elenore focused on the crowd and took a drink from a maid dreamily as she was lost deep in the own thoughts. A few years ago Merida would be delighted to hear her father utter such words. Now everything had flipped like a capsized boat. Soon the Great hall was filled with a fair amount of joyous chatter, but Elenore was still lost in the thoughts.

Merida had excused herself from the hall early. She wanted to rest before the midnight feast that night. Her brother Hamish filled in her seat so the three princes sat closely together.

"I caught Ian coming back from the woods alone."

"Ugh, Hamish , who cares aboot tha'h Black headed neep. (turnip) " Hubert spat in Ian's direction catching one of his clansman in the eye, they exchanged nasty looks.

" I think he came back from the old hag." Hamish hated to be over looked when he thought he had something important to say.

"Go on." Harris thoughtfully drank heavy dark mead and listened to his brother. Hubert leaned in and Hamish smiled.

"I th'nk he came back with somethin, he had a bonny flask arroond his neck. Like a dog w't a bone , he looked like , struttin into'the castle- I ken he was uo to somethin-" Hamish pantomimed a dogs happy walk with his two hands sticking his tongue out like a pup, making fun of Ian.

"Aye ,I noticed the bottle too." Hubert said ,embarrassed he did not know its significance at first.

" I thought somthin was curious-" Harris started and then trailed off.

"Whoot is it?" Hamish said curiously .Harris let his eyes wonder to the Macintosh table as he put his goblet down.

"There was a large shipment that came in today." There was seldom a time when someone could bring anything into the castle without him knowing about it.

"Bear carvings , and sculptures, all made of wood."

"We ken of a woodcarver like that." Hamish growled.

Hubert gripped his sword and spit on the ground.

Somewhere else in the castle far from everyone having an early meal in the great hall, was a beautiful woman in a light colored cloak. Her hair almost trailed to the floor ,an almost pure white stream of strait flowing hair. Her eyes icy silver. She had jimmied the door of a room open and with a quick glance around her she entered the chamber. Like a trout swimming in an icy steam she slipped behind the giant door. She flowed quickly into the room , fist she checked in between the cushions of the bed and then under the bed itself. Then to the book case that was left relatively dusty, nothing there. There were large crates in the room that were filled to the brim with bear carvings , she waste not her time with that. She had already sensed that she had spent too much time in the room and was looking around now thinking about where he could have hidden it. Then there it was. On one of the chairs under a cloak a rope of leather could be seen .She quickly made it over to the chair and pulled on the cord of leather, and there was; the vile of silver.

'He never even tried to hide it' . She shrugged and pulled forth small bladder, and another clean bottle made out of antler with a stopper of cork. First she opened the silver flask, pored its contents out carefully into her clean antler vile , then replaced the liquid with the almost black mead from her bladder. In seconds she was out of the room and even managed to lock the door before she heard something in the hallway. Men's boots.

The silver eyed woman smiled as she walked passed a group of Macintosh men. They were occupied telling stories to one another. They never looked at her direction as she made her way back to her brothers room.

The feast would soon be prepared and her brother would want to go through with her plan tonight. Rabbie Dingwall would soon be the king of Dunbrogh.


	37. Chapter 37

"Aye shood' see her."

Fraser looked over at Grants brother judging his reaction. Garret shrugged.

"Grant I ken the reason behin'd the Druid comin to ye and not merrida. If someon told me som'on w's goin to curse me'. I donegh think I could stop it. I think she was right aboot tellin ye. But even so-" Garret was trying to make a point to his brother and struggling to do so. He too had problems voicing his opinions sometimes as Grant had in the past.

"Garrets is right, it is up to us t' fix this. Merida must not ken Lord." Fraser looked over at Grant concerned.

Grant's eyes went back and forth from his most trusted family members. They looked back with a quiet pleading, for they loved the young queen too.

"Aye. I will'negh talk aboot it. But I will see her, she is my bride. An' we will mend fate back t'whoot it is supost't be." It was strange to say those words out loud. ' My bride.' Grant gave out a nervous cough and took up to leave the room , fastening up his cloak before walking around his younger brother and the warrior at the door. He missed Merida and walked out of the hallway passed a few more of his clansmen that had guarded the door way from the other side. They nodded as he passed.

'Where would she be? Certainly not her room, ' he thought. When she was anxious she would want to go outside.

Grant knew this from his time inside the sick hall. He was with Bridget then but Merida was only a handful of beds away. And as soon as she could get up on her feet she would go. She had a cast from her fractured arm but that did not stop her from wondering away from the care of the healers. He wished he could have gone with her. He had thought many times; 'I would give anything to just be able to get up and go on another adventure with her'. When Grant would lay awake in is bed as he too was healing he would wait for Merida to come back to her place in the sick hall. He was jealous that she could go and the thought of her meeting another man out side of his reach made him feel strange. But he had to stay behind for it was not his arm that was mangled ,it was his leg that needed healing . There was a very aggressive scar left from the mentally disturbed Viking's blade that he carried with him to this day. Grant could not follow his red haired princess because of his injury. so he was left waiting for her to come back as she went on her almost daily excursions out of the large hall.

He was mean to her then ,Grant reflected. Grant remembered he had given her a cold shoulder now and then telling her to leave, throwing harsh words her way. He went as far as to blame her unjustly. It made Grant feel sick to the deepest part of his soul but he knew why he acted the way he did towards the woman who he waited for at night. He was feeling torn between his love for Merida and his honor to be faithful to his then bride to be Bridget.

He must have made Merida feel like he was punishing her. But to Grant it was Merida punishing him; as he had to listen to her leave over and over again from behind his curtained bed.

He had fallen in love with her long before then. It must have been the very first time he had seen her that he knew his feelings to be true. The first time he ever lay eyes on her at Dunbroch was a time where he loved her in a boyish way. Then came the time where Merida had saved him from the intruders of the north. He woke up to see her in a drying underdress ankles deep in glass like water . A curious whips illuminated her body in a blue light that night before it vanished. That was when Grant knew his feelings had reignited into a dangerous fire. They had lay dormant for many years and suddenly looking at her again that night changed his life around rapidly. Merida with the wisp that night, maybe it was not for her to see, maybe it was Grant MacGuffin's wisp. For it appeared to him as it did the red headed princess, that was when things all started to change. Grant had never felt that way with any woman before, then again no woman had ever saved his life before.

It was not just she was beautiful, no, never, it was the fact they could do anything together. There was the companionship between warriors he had felt with his men and what he felt for the Princess was something similar to that. He could trust her with his life with his feelings. She could stand up to him and tell him he was being bull headed or push him trough a tough situation. The longer they stayed together the deeper his feelings went.

When he came to Dunbroch this time, he brought with him his ex bride to be. 'What a snake she was.' Grant gritted his teeth at the thought.

Bridget had never loved him and that was something he could forgive , but to attack his home and spread lies about Merida the Princess was something else. She was no longer a woman, but a serpent to him. Grant clenched his fists thinking how Bridget had driven a wedge between himself and the princess of Dunbroch. Yes he had carried out an execution but it was not because of her acts upon himself. It was Bridget's unrelenting furry upon his princess that was her downfall. His duty was to the Princess with or without consideration to his true feelings for Merida. That is why he had beheaded her in the great halls of Dunbroch, his loyalty was proven to the royal family with the swing of a great sword. Merida was not only the next in line to the throne but she had personally saved his life a couple times at the very least. Grant felt he had a blood dept he owed to her , and he felt he was still under its weight even now.

How Grant had wished he told Merida of his feelings before. He should have told Bridget to leave as soon as he came home to his lands. Yes it was an arranged marriage to Bridget his recently passed father had made when he was still alive. To think of it now, The Golden Mountain of MacGuffin would have been more proud if Grant had come forward with his love for Merida right away. That is what the new Grant MacGuffin would have done given the chance to do it all over again.

Grant felt a painful pang in his heart when he thought of his father. It was his love for his father that made him hold on to the relationship with Bridget as hard as he could. Even when it was long since dead.

Looking back he wish he would have listened to how he really felt , Grant's father would have respected him for it.

Grant flew down the dark stone steps to the open cool courtyard. There attached to the cobble stone walls of the inner castle was a set of stalls and inside them were some of the horses Merida owned. He could tell they were hers for the stall held her favorite mount - Angus. Grant knew she was there even before her saw her; it was the way the horse was looking over at it's side as if someone was there.

The horse was right there was a woman beside him just below the lip of the wall of the stall keeping the giant Clydesdale in.

"Merida…" Her name in his mouth was strange still.

"Aye' hav't sit by him Grant do-negh make somthin' oot of it. t'is no my doing-" Merida was almost agressively brushing her horse , her dress's first layer was folded towards her waist and it made a sort of apron. This was so she could not make it dirty and her layers of under skirts kept her modest. Grant opened the stable and stepped inside the rickety outbuilding with her. He nervously fiddled with his sporgen, one so beautifully crafted it could have been made for a king.

"Aye, negh com' t' talk t' ye aboot thah. Merrrida Aye hav' mistd' ye."

"Tis' only been o' few houres." Merida raised her eyebrow at him, but the words made her calm down some.

All of Grant wanted to tell his future wife, as that is how he looked at her, about what he had learned for the druid. But there was a reason she told him and not Merida herself, it was up to Grant.

"is this aboot last night?" The beautiful red haired woman slowly spilled out. Grant had thought only about the moments he had with her in the wee hours that morning all day. His silence she took as an answer.

"Aye- donegh - I never hav' done tha'h with anyone- not to say I am unexperienced-" Merida was the one fumbling with words now. She shook her head tryingto find the words.

"Woot im tryin t' say is all m' life I hav' been free. I never wanted a man , never nedded one."

'was she cutting the bindings between them?' Grants heart beat rose, and he grew concerned.

"Grant, I knownow-" She turned to him with her sparkling blue green eyes. "- I ken ye will never put me in a cage, I am free when I am with you. So I chose t' give you m' hand, yu'r the only one Grant MacGuffin"

The words almost brought Grant to tears and he fought every urge to kiss her.

"Merida-" he managed to get out in his thick accent. But there was a call out somewhere from behind him.

Merida was being beckoned , and she rushed by him in a hurry.

The night feast was soon beginning.


	38. Chapter 38

Grant made his way to the hall sitting down with his clansmen. They made sure to sit directly in front of the podium. If something were to happen they would be ready. They had even refused drink as a whole and the MacGuffins sat quietly tense. Many of them knew that there was a poisoner on the loose and a threat to the princess could come from anywhere. Under their table lay a stash of broadsword piled up and hidden among the lads thick legs like kindling at their feet ready to make a fire. No one had taken notice as the hall was poorly lit and the shadows hid the MacGuffin's intent.

Merida's mother looked over at her daughter as they walked to the great hall together. The boys would have already been seated. Elenore glided along the hallway like a swan over a glassy pond but her daughter had taken more of her husband in her then desired. Merida was in a new dress and she walked like a commander. Her mother forced herself not to roll her eyes , choosing her battles. She gave her daughter another glance and spotted to her great horror a piece of straw in her curly locks. With a swift hand she grabbed at it and threw it way side just before the doors opened. The clans men watched as they received them into the hall.

'whew' Elenore remarked to herself in her head. Then she put on a slight smile of a high queen, gliding on glass as before.

Merida did not smile , instead she jutted her chest forward like a warrior should. 'There was no need to parade her like a winning pig at a fair' The princess sneered to herself. She had every right to act as the commander she was born to be , and the stories of Crom had well circled around the clansmen. Filling night time ale drinking story swapping with a boost of mystery and fear.

The clansmen looked at their queen with love as the two made it passed the line of parting men up the middle of the hall.

But the way they looked at Merida was how they would look at a future king.

Climbing the few steps to the to the podium where the royal family took their seats the two woman showed another difference yet again. Elenore picked up her skirt two handed with the tips of her fingers and set herself down as a bird would land on a thin branch. Merida grabbed the hem of her dress quite obviously annoyed at the cumbersome nature of the garment and plopped herself down between her brothers.

Her mother gave her daggers in a stern look.

"Aye-" Merida angrily under her breath. She picked herself up from the safety of her brothers flanking her to sit in the den of the lions.

That is beside Ian Macintosh and Rabbie Dingwall - Her back stiffened when she saw that the boys had put on their best. Ian had even Taken a bath and brushed his hair to a slick shine. Ian looked like the cat that caught the mouse something was just not right about him he was too happy.

Harris caught on to this too and made note of it. Whispering to his brother Hubert that something was not right and keep an extra eye out on him.

Rabbie Was cool and collective as always and welcomed her with a nod.

Neither of them made her feel comfortable yet she sat down between them shooting her own daggers at her mother who smiled happily. Merida looked forward and saw Grant MacGuffin not making eye contact with her. Her heart sunk. 'whoot is wrong with him…?"

"Eh-hem-" Elinor bumped her husband and he snapped out of the conversation he was having with one of his childhood friend turned warrior and addressed the crowd. He sat up so abruptly he almost over turned the long table that was made form an ancient tree. Once again everyone was reminded why he was called the Bear King.

:Aye thank ye fur coming. It has been a long tim since we last were all together -" the crowed gave a laugh as it was not that long ago as the battle against the Norse was not old in everyone's minds. Angus gave a smile and winked at his wife. "-we could not hav' done it without the loyalty of the clans to-ehchother." The Bear king raised his oaken mug of briming ale.

The whole entirety of Clan MacGuffen grew pale , and Grant felt his heart seize in his chest . Everyone started to raise their own drinks. Grant watched as a cup was filled with sweet wine by Ian and then switched out for another chalice by Rabbies own hand. If he was not watching intently Grant would have never seen the quick exchange. But it also caught one other mans attention. Harris.

Meridas brother bolted upright just as Grant was up and climbing the stairs himself.

"AYE!-" Grant interrupted but he turned and addressed the crowed. "An wher' whoot we be without the MacIntosh? Whit- ther ships so fast the'ey Fly-!" There was no time if the chalice was poisoned then Grant would have to take it. His interruption of praise sent the Macintosh clan into cheers -Grant snatched the golden chalice from Merida's table just as she was about to reach it.

Harris and the MacGuffin clan lost their color but nothing in comparison to the two men that sat on either side of the Crowned Princess.

Merida raised her eyebrows - it was so little time she thought from when she had met him at the graveyard. The old grant would have never been able to deliver such words that carried to the very backs of the hall. She smiled slightly in amusement. Grant's mind was working faster then before - there was no way that he could accuse either Ian or Rabbie without proof.

There was only one thing he could think of and it pained him. Grant looked over At Merida There was a goodbye in his eyes and she crossed her brows.

"An to the Dingwalls ! Where whood we be whitoot them? They fight like deemon dogs Aye!" The Digwalls raised to their feet in a wave of cheers.

"Cheers !:

Harris's eyes were wild and he tried to call out but only a surprised cough made it to his lips as Grant had already Downed the lot of the chalice.

A blond woman ran out of the hall unnoticed to the patrons there. It was Rabbies Sister but as she turned to bolt down the corridor she was caught in the arms of a group of MacGuffin warriors. They had been positioned there by grant forseeing that anyone who would flee would be seen as to having a guilty conscious. "Whoot little birdy do we H've hr?" A Sout blond man chuckled as he stuffed a knitted sock in her mouth - "Yu just- wait rigt herr pretty bird"

Grant licked his lips tasting the tart stuff. He looked lovingly upon his clansmen. His brothers at arms looked up at him in horror - some tearfully. His men were his to look after- Frasier would have to explain to the younger ones that protecting their future queen was protecting the clan.

A rush of blood thundered in his ears. Frasier and his men began to go out of focus as a fever set in. Grant put up his chalice ,empty, once more and his clan saluted back. "To me- own men- ye fought bravely- I wood give my own lif' fur yu - " That was too much for one of the younger members of his warriors to take ,and he started to sob. The other clansmen of MacIntosh and Dingwall gave the crying man curious looks as they were raising their own cups again. "I I ken you would do the same fur me - I hope I was th' leader yu wanted me t' be - what m' da would have want'ed for yee- " There was a loud and heartfelt cheer from the MacGuffins as they watched their leader fall to the witches faulty spell. Grant Felt weak and set a large hand on the table behind him to keep him upright - he could not see anymore but kept his eyes where he thought his life long friend Frasier was standing. That gave him comfort . Merida sensed something was not right and stood up but just as she did the table overturned under Grants' hand flinging drink and food everywhere . Grant was under the massive thick cloth that once covered the ancient table. He lay motionless on the ground . There was a scream and all at once the MacGuffin Clansmen rushed forward to help their chieftain. It all over tuned into chaos as the men talked loudly over one another in worried tones.

Merida reached for the cloth desperately and as she moved it Harris took her in his arms just in time. Whatever was underneath started to grow and the cloth started to rise, and rise, up above their heads. Merida's face was full of horror and her mouth was open in a silent scream.

There on the podium was a giant golden bear.


End file.
